PRESS RELEASE: NFA Stops the Boom Tax on Fireworks



WASHINGTON – National Fireworks Association (NFA) Secretary Steve Houser today released the following statement after months of successful advocacy to the Administration and specifically the National Council of Economic Advisors that saw President Trump delay additional tariffs on Chinese imports: 

“This is welcomed news. The wage and regulatory environment make it impossible to manufacture fireworks in the United States; so, China remains the only source for importers.

“Fireworks importers, distributors, and retailers are small family-run businesses who operate seasonally and can’t afford any costs of doing business. The roadside stands and tents where people buy them are run by nonprofit organizations like churches, veterans’ organizations and school groups that can’t afford and don’t deserve a tax on their primary method of fundraising.

“Our hope is the President finally excludes fireworks from tariffs altogether.  It’s not right to ask Americans to pay a boom tax when we celebrate our Nation’s birthday.”


About NFA: The National Fireworks Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the safety of consumer fireworks. Importers, distributors, manufacturers and sellers of commercial fireworks make up the over 1200 small businesses member companies who operate in the United States.

# # #

Popular posts from this blog

Are You Ready to Promote Your Fireworks Demo?

Image
Our industry is rooted in the spirit of togetherness. Each year, millions of Americans come together in hundreds of thousands of neighborhoods each year to watch our industry light up  the skies in celebration of everything that makes our country great. Right now, our country is nervous with an uncertainty of when life might return back to normal. Practicing appropriate social distancing means we can’t all come together in our neighborhoods like we could have one year ago. So as we move through the next few weeks, we’re entering a very critical time for our industry - demo season. The NFA would like to help amplify your demo shoot via its social media  platforms and bring some much-needed joy to the millions of Americans who are staying in place at home in the process. Please, email  press@saveourfireworks.com  and let us know when you’re planning your demo shoot. On your own, you can do a few things to help you and advertise in your local community....
Read more

Boston Herald: Boston Pops cancels live July 4 concert, will hold virtual event

Image
From the Boston Herald (May 8, 2020): "But sparks quickly flew over the call. Hours after the announcement, the National Fireworks Association blasted out a statement saying it was 'disappointed in the mayor's decision' and calling on the state's congressional delegation to push back and 'save the Fourth.' 'While we acknowledge the need to remain safe and practice appropriate social distancing, we believe that can be done,' President Steve Houser said. 'Bostonians came out to see the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard which proved to be an uplifting event and we believe the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular would have provided a similar safe experience.' To read the full article, click here
Read more

NFA Writes to Secretary Pete Buttigieg Asking to Unload Our Ports

Image
Industry Warns of “ Very Real Possibility” of a Fourth Without Fireworks WASHINGTON –  The National Fireworks Association (NFA) yesterday sent a letter to Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg calling attention to the problems facing the transportation, logistics and supply chain of our nation’s consumer fireworks industry.  After signing the American Rescue Plan, President Biden addressed Americans in prime time and gave them hope that they could begin resuming to normalcy with small gatherings of friends and families by the Fourth of July. But the grave reality is that if many Americans expect to gather on the Fourth of July and celebrate our nation’s birthday with fireworks, as they normally would, they may be sorely disappointed.  “The pandemic has thrown the world’s transportation network into total chaos creating obstacles at every turn,”  NFA President Steve Houser and over 1,300 NFA members, fireworks company owners and employees wrote to the ...
Read more