CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE
105th Congress (1997)
REDUCTION OF FEDERAL EXCISE TAXES ON BEER (3/17/97)
HR 158, which has been introduced in the House of Representatives, would reduce the federal excise tax on beer to its pre-1991 level.
BACKGROUND:
Federal excise taxes on beer were raised in 1991 for the first time in 40 years. The tax was raised from 16 cents per six-pack to 32 cents per six pack (or from $9 per barrel to $18). This did not occur because of public health considerations, but was part of the overall budget deliberations between President George Bush and the Congress.
NCADD opposes reducing any alcohol excise tax. In fact, we have been working to have the tax increased, because it is a proven means to reduce alcohol consumption, particularly among young people. Last year, NCADD, along with thirty other organizations, sent a letter to members of Congress asking them to oppose a reduction in excise taxes and to choose America's kids over America's beer bellies. The National Alcohol Tax Coalition, of which NCADD is a member, is continuing to work on this issue.
The Beer Institute ran ads in the Washington Post last fall in
support of a rollback in the beer tax.
Current co-sponsors of HR 158 include Philip English (R-PA), Christopher Cox (R-CA), Bill McCollum (R-FL), Roscoe Bartlett (R- MD), Peter King (R-NY), David McIntosh (R-IN), Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI). There is no companion bill in the Senate.
For more information on HR 158,contact the Public Policy Office via e-mail at publicpolicy@ncadd.org.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Write or call your representative, and ask your friends to do the same. Your message should include the following information:
Researchers find that alcohol taxes and prices
affect alcohol consumption and related problems.
Studies show that increased beer prices lead to
reductions in the levels and frequency of drinking
and heavy drinking among youth.
Higher taxes on beer are associated with lower
traffic crash fatality rates, especially among
young drivers.
Excise taxes should be INCREASED, not decreased,
to help prevent alcohol-related problems. Six-
packs of beer already costs less in some cases
than an equivalent amount of soda.
HOW TO CONTACT MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
E-Mail:
The U. S. House of Representatives
Write:
The Honorable --
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Call:
The Capitol Hill Switchboard at 202/224-3121 and ask for
your representative's office.