Congress returns from their lengthy election recess today. They will be convening in a lame duck session that is expected to last a few weeks. The chief task for Congress between now and December 7 will be to fund the federal government for the next fiscal year. Before the election, a continuing resolution was passed that continued to fund the government at the Fiscal Year 2016 levels. That resolution expires at midnight on December 9. What is uncertain is the method that Congress decides to take to fund the government. WineAmerica has been hearing from our sources that Congress may decide to fund the government at the current levels through March 2017, and start fresh with the new Trump Administration. The other option would be to pass a new omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2017. If the government is funded at current levels with no new policy, the possibility for alcohol excise tax reform this year will decrease.

 

The House Republicans will be holding their leadership elections on Tuesday, November 15th. We expect to know more about the priorities for the lame duck session after the leadership election. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, Congress is spending this week regrouping after the election, and any legislative work will begin the week of November 28. 

 

If the excise tax reform proposal is not included in any year end funding bill, the proposal will have to be reintroduced in 2017. The House Republican leadership has expressed a desire for comprehensive tax reform in the new year and we expect alcohol excise tax reform to be included.

 

We will be examining what the new administration and new congress means for the American wine industry in the coming weeks.

- Michael Kaiser, Director of Public Affairs

 

Washington Issues Caucus

Last week, I spoke at the first annual Washington Issues Conference. Jointly sponsored by the Washington Wine Institute and the Washington Association of Winegrape Growers, the joint industry event was held in Yakima, Washington in the heart of Washington Wine Country. The event brought together experts on local, state and federal issues to discuss and educate Washington wine industry members on how said issues impact the and their businesses directly. I was asked to represent WineAmerica and speak about federal issues impacting the wine industry. This included a broad overview of our core issues of tax reform and music licensing, as well as a discussion of the other important issues we are currently working on, notably TTB funding and immigration reform. Additionally, I spoke about the 2016 election and gave a preview of 2017. Special thanks to the Washington Wine Institute and the Washington Association of Winegrape Growers for inviting me to speak and for being such staunch supporters of WineAmerica.

From Last Week

 

2016 Fall Board Meeting

Last week, WineAmerica’s Board and State and Regional Association Advisory Council convened in Newberg, Oregon in the heart of the Willamette Valley. In case you missed it, here is the wrap up we sent out on Friday.

 

WineAmerica Board Meets in Oregon

WineAmerica, the National Association of American Wineries, just concluded its annual Fall Board of Directors Conference in Newberg, Oregon, highlighted by presentations from two influential Washington policymakers.

 

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) spoke to a crowd of over a hundred wine industry leaders from Oregon and around the country. WineAmerica has been working tirelessly with Senator Wyden on his landmark Federal alcohol excise tax reform legislation. If passed, this historic initiative would provide an economic jolt to the wine industry and would create a business environment that would allow the industry to thrive for years to come. Representative Bonamici has been a key supporter of the Oregon wine industry and is also a co-sponsor of the House version of Senator Wyden’s tax legislation.

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Questions? Contact Michael Kaiser, Director of Public Affairs at mkaiser@wineamerica.org