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VITAL INDUSTRY LEGISLATION – LEGISLATIVE TIME CRUNCH:
U.S. House and Senate MUST VOTE on Excise Tax Reform Bills

CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY

Legislation to rectify a longstanding inequity in the collection of the firearms and ammunition excise tax (FAET) – a major source of wildlife conservation funding – needs to be heard before the end of the current legislative session in both the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 6310) and the U.S. Senate (S. 3331). If we are going to ensure hunting and conservation efforts throughout the United States, passage of this legislation is essential.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) -- the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry -- has been leading a broad coalition of sportsmen and conservation groups, including the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, National Rifle Association and Ducks Unlimited, in an effort to reform the federal excise tax.

While this legislation (H.R. 6310 and S. 3331) will not reduce the amount of the tax collected, it will allow the firearms and ammunition industry to pay the FAET on a quarterly basis, the same payment schedule as every other industry that supports conservation. Currently firearms and ammunition manufacturers must pay the FAET bi-weekly. This payment schedule forces many manufacturers to borrow money to ensure on-time payment, and industry members spend thousands of man-hours administering the necessary paperwork to successfully complete the bi-weekly payments -- monies that are due long before manufacturers are paid by their customers.

The NSSF estimates that shifting to a quarterly payment schedule will free up approximately $22 million dollars annually for manufacturers to invest in new equipment and product designs, in turn leading to greater participation in hunting and the shooting sports.

Clearly a financially strong and growing firearms and ammunition industry will not only generate greater excise tax revenues, monies that will be used to fund conservation throughout the United States, but will also help ensure America’s manufacturers remain competitive in an increasingly global economy.

NSSF is asking all hunters, sportsmen, gun-owners and conservationists to CALL your congressman and senators immediately, urging them to co-sponsor this commonsense legislation.