“The last 15 months have been the most challenging in the last 50 years for the spirits industry,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), who added he was “impressed distillers could shift operations to produce hand sanitizer” quickly when it was desperately needed.
But it’s not just the pandemic that has challenged distillers in recent months. High on the list is the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and EU over aircraft subsidies and steel and aluminum measures.
“We don’t want you to be collateral damage in a tariff dispute about aircraft that has nothing to do with spirits,” he said, adding that he is hopeful his former staffer, Katherine Tai, will be able to negotiate a better solution. “We’re trying to find long-term solutions to these trade disputes,” he said.
PPP wasn’t adequate to deal with the problems of eating and drinking establishments, he said, which is why Congress passed the Restaurants Act. “But the overall need continues to outstrip funds under the Restaurants Act. As we come out of the pandemic,” Blumenauer said, “it won’t be helpful if we have hundreds of thousands of establishments go out of business.
“I’m optimistic we’ll be able to replenish the program,” he said, adding that has strong support from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer. “Still, it’s important for your members to be able to put a human face on it” in talks with Members and Senators, on how this program will help the $1 trillion alcohol beverage supply chain.
‘I’ll Help Spirits Achieve Parity with Beer and Wine’
Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) noted that one-third of bev/al workers have been furloughed since the start of the epidemic. “That’s why it was important to reduce the federal excise tax and to resolve tariff disputes.
“I will keep doing whatever I can to help spirits achieve parity with beer and wine,” he added.
Young, like Blumenauer, emphasized that when attendees visit their representatives it’s more important to put a human face on an issue, to explain how the issue affects them or their community or state, than it is to discuss various talking points.