The wine industry needs advocates in Congress,
and the Congressional Wine Caucus is its biggest champion.
By Michael Kaiser
WineAmerica works to protect and enhance the business climate for American wineries via advocacy in Washington, D.C. Quite a bit of that work is done independently, but WA also collaborates with various other alcohol trade associations and trade associations representing other agricultural commodities. More importantly, WA has allies in Congress, the biggest being the Congressional Wine Caucus (CWC).
The CWC was founded to protect the interests of the vibrant U.S. wine community, from grape to glass. Caucus members are linked not only by their deep appreciation of wine, but also their understanding of the wine community’s significant economic impact. Wine is produced in all 50 states and generates jobs and revenue in both rural and urban areas. The wine community contributes an estimated $276 billion to the U.S. economy annually and creates the equivalent of nearly 2 million full-time jobs.
A bit of history
The Congressional Wine Caucus was founded in 1999 by Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA) and former Representative George Radanovich (R-CA). Rep. Thompson currently represents California’s 4th Congressional District, which includes parts or all of Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties. When he first came to Congress, Thompson represented California’s 1st Congressional District, which also included parts of Napa and Sonoma counties. Congressman Radanovich represented California’s 19th Congressional District, which includes Fresno and most of the surrounding rural areas.
Thompson and Radanovich represented two very different and distinct California wine regions. Being grape growers themselves (Radanovich even opened the first commercial winery in the Fresno area), they realized the need for the CWC to educate their fellow members of Congress on the needs and interests of the wine industry. Radanovich retired from Congress in 2011. The current CWC co-chair is Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-WA), who is a long time grape grower and represents Washington’s 4th Congressional District, which contains most of the Columbia Valley.
Getting work done
One of the hallmarks of the CWC is its bipartisanship. Wine can bring people together, and Congress is no different. To that end, WineAmerica works very closely with Reps Thompson and Newhouse on many different issues. Not only do they support the wineries and the grape growers in their districts, but they support wineries all over the country.
Over the years, the co-chairs of the Wine Caucus have been leaders on legislation and advocacy with their peers. Some of the biggest examples have been:
- Passing legislation to conserve and protect vineyards and open spaces;
- Advocating for viticulture research and management funding;
- Combating European Grapevine Moth, Glassy-winged Sharpshooter and Spotted Lanternfly invasions;
- Fighting for fair market access for our wines in foreign markets;
- Protecting wine’s access to the Customs Duty Drawback program;
- Supporting the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA), which created expansive tax credits for wineries of all sizes; and
- Recognizing the value and contributions of American wines and grapegrowing regions.
Back to business
Now that all of the COVID-19 security restrictions have been lifted on Capitol Hill, we can get back to holding social events. Before the pandemic, WineAmerica hosted numerous wine receptions on Capitol Hill, independently and in partnership with other groups. Perhaps no Congressional wine-related event was grander than the Wines of America reception.
Held in conjunction with our Washington, D.C. Board Meeting, the Wines of America reception showcased wine from 20 to 25 different states for members of Congress and their staff. This was a unique opportunity for attendees to gain exposure to wine they might have not otherwise tasted, and to directly engage with winemakers from their own state. We look forward to our upcoming joint event with the Congressional Wine Caucus on March 23.
Encourage participation
Currently, WineAmerica is working to bolster the size of the CWC. During its peak membership, the CWC had more than 200 members from both the House and the Senate, and the goal is to at least get it back to that size. With a new Congress, the work begins anew on recruitment. If your Congressperson is not a member of the Congressional Wine Caucus, they should be. Wine is produced in every state and there’s a winery in nearly every Congressional District.
We need advocates in Congress and the Congressional Wine Caucus is the industry’s biggest champion.
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Michael Kaiser
Michael Kaiser is executive vice president and director of government affairs at WineAmerica, which represents wineries and associations from more than 40 states. For more information about WineAmerica and how to get involved, visit www.wineamerica.org.
