Beer Institute Thanks U.S. House for Extension of Excise Tax Relief

House passage first step in continuing to provide critical tax relief for U.S. brewers and beer importers

WASHINGTON – Today, Jim McGreevy, president and CEO of the Beer Institute, released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would extend popular excise tax relief for all brewers and beer importers.

“I want to thank the bipartisan coalition of members of the House of Representatives who joined together today to prevent a tax increase on America’s brewers and beer importers – an industry that supports 2.1 million jobs across the United States,” said Jim McGreevy, president and CEO of the Beer Institute. “I look forward to the Senate quickly taking up the bill and moving it to President Trump for his signature, so brewers and beer importers have the certainty they need to continue growing their businesses, provide good-paying jobs across the country, and continue to serve Americans greater varieties of our nation’s most popular alcohol beverage.”

In 2017, Congress included two years of excise tax relief for all brewers and beer importers as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. However, without Congressional action, the current tax provisions will expire at the end of 2019, resulting in a $130 million annual tax increase for the beer industry.

According to recent polling done by the Beer Institute, more than two-thirds of Americans support extending tax relief for brewers and beer importers. Further, more than 326 members of the House and more than 73 members of the Senate are cosponsors of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2019, which would make the excise tax relief for brewers and beer importers contained in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent.

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