Encourage lawmakers to support excise tax reform

The National Shooting Sports Foundation encourages all members of the firearms and ammunition industry to voice their support of H.R. 510, legislation that will rectify a longstanding inequity in the collection of the firearms and ammunition excise tax -- a major source of wildlife conservation funding.

VITAL INDUSTRY LEGISLATION
U.S. House MUST VOTE on Excise Tax Reform Bill

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 the U.S. House of Representatives . 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 working with a broad coalition of sportsmen and conservation groups, including Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, the National Rifle Association and Ducks Unlimited, in an effort to reform the federal excise tax.

While this legislation (H.R.510) 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.

Click here to send a letter encouraging your representatives to support the bill.