Rep. Chip Roy Statement on Urgency of H.R. 1175, the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2019

Statement

Rep. Roy Statement on Urgency of H.R. 1175, the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2019

The U.S. House should call up and pass H.R. 1175, the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act, before we recess for Christmas. The 21st District is home to more wineries, craft breweries, and distilleries than any other Congressional District in Texas. The recent explosion of the wine, beer, and spirit industries has brought new economic opportunity and thousands of jobs to Austin, San Antonio and the surrounding Hill Country.

H.R. 1175 makes permanent the lower taxes, reduced compliance burdens, and fewer regulations for the 5,300 breweries, 8,000 wineries, and 800 distilleries across the country. Lower rates for brewers and craft beverage manufacturers were initially passed on a temporary basis in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

If this permanent tax reduction is not passed by the end of the year, excise tax rates will return to those higher levels, raising costs for small businesses and consumers. It is important to me that the current Washington political climate not damage businesses in the Hill Country and across Texas.

As a co-sponsor of the legislation, I look forward to working with my colleagues on this issue and hope that Texans will continue to support local businesses, like our craft beverage industry, during the Christmas season.

Source