Nine U.S. Senators warn of the dangers of H.R. 1161

For further information, contact:

Nancy Light, Wine Institute                         Cary M. Greene, Esq., WineAmerica

communications@wineinstitute.org              cgreene@wineamerica.org

Nine U.S. Senators weighed in today on the dangers of H.R. 1161, special interest legislation drafted by and introduced for the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) and the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA). Below is the Senators’ letter to their colleagues.

Wall Street Journal Editorial Highlights Dangers of the "Community Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness Act" (H.R. 1161)

Dear Colleague:

We are writing to call your attention to a recent Wall Street Journal editorial highlighting the dangers of the "Community Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness Act" (H.R. 1161), which has been introduced in the House of Representatives but not in the Senate.

The editorial is a concise but devastating condemnation of H.R. 1161. As it makes clear, the Founding Fathers included the Commerce Clause in the Constitution to protect against just this kind of trade barrier between the States. As the editorial also points out, one of the purposes of H.R. 1161 is to prevent out-of-state wine producers from selling wine directly to consumers around the country. The bill would allow states to pass discriminatory laws that would reduce choice and raise prices for consumers, as well as harming the over 7,600 wineries across the United States in all 50 states.

We urge you to consider the points made by the Wall Street Journal ...