|
|
JA Delegates Meet Washington Leaders
Jun 28, 2017 3:49 AM
By Rapaport News
|
|
|
RAPAPORT... Jewelers of America (JA) hosted two days of meetings and
events in Washington last week to give retailers and suppliers the opportunity
to talk with lawmakers about issues affecting the industry.
The seventh annual “advocacy visit” included a legislative
forum at the historic Army & Navy Club, and a full day of meetings with
congressional leaders on Capitol Hill. Jewelers met more than 40
lawmakers and legislative staff, including Republican Senator Orrin Hatch from
Utah, who chairs the Senate’s finance committee.
The events were part of the Jewelers of
America Political Action Committee (JAPAC)’s annual visit to the US capital. This
year’s delegation focused on sales-tax fairness and the Border Adjustment Tax —
a proposed 20% increase in taxes on jewelry and precious-stone imports.
Lawmakers were reluctant to take an official
position on the proposed border tax, as it is still at an early stage and
legislation has not been introduced, JA reported on Monday this week. However, it added, “the overriding sentiment was that the concept itself is too unpopular and
politically volatile to pass.”
The visit also featured a dinner at
which representatives from Haake Fetzer — a consulting firm that serves as JA’s
Washington-based legislative counsel — briefed guests about government affairs.
“The noise in Washington, DC, is louder than
ever, and jewelers need to speak with a strong voice to ensure our issues and
concerns get heard,” JA CEO David Bonaparte said in the Monday statement. “Our annual advocacy visit is
one of the best tools we have to communicate with leaders on both sides of the
aisle.” |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tags:
David Bonaparte, Haake Fetzer, ja, JAPAC, Jewelers of America, Jewelers of America Political Action Committee, Orrin Hatch, Rapaport News, Washington
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|