ADDITIONAL POLICY
POSITIONS
A Drink is Not a Drink
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2011 Dietary Guidelines
for Americans include a definition of an alcoholic drink that is
misleading and dangerous to the American consumer.
Specifically, the Dietary Guidelines define “one drink” as containing 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol. As the most popular form of
beer, light beer contains less than 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol.
Most Americans think of a cocktail as “one drink.” A cocktail
often contains a combination of more than one type of alcohol.
For example, a margarita contains 1.5 ounces of tequila and
0.5 ounces of triple sec. A gin martini contains 2.5 ounces of
gin and 0.5 ounces of dry vermouth. A cosmopolitan contains
1.5 ounces of vodka and 1 ounce of Cointreau. A Long Island
iced tea includes 0.5 ounces triple sec, 0.5 ounces light rum,
0.5 ounces gin, 0.5 ounces vodka and 0.5 ounces tequila. All
of these popular “drinks” contain more than 0.6 fluid ounces
of alcohol which is defined as “one drink” by USDA’s Dietary
Guidelines. It is dangerous to suggest that if a person has one
beer, one glass of wine or one Long Island iced tea per day, he
or she is consuming a moderate amount of alcohol, specifically,
only 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol.
Alcohol by volume (ABV) is a world-wide standard measure
used to determine how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage. It is expressed as a percentage of total volume
of the drink. Beer, wine and liquor differ greatly in ABV content.
Despite the variation in alcohol by volume content among
alcohol types, based on the USDA Dietary Guidelines definition,
American consumers are lead to believe that all “drinks” are
equal.
Consumers should know that the type of alcohol, the individual
filling the glass and the size of glass determines the actual
amount of alcohol a person is consuming.
NBWA encourages Congress to ask the U.S.
Department of Agriculture to review its misleading
definition of a “drink” and eliminate reference to 0.6
fluid ounces in a “drink.”
Jobs and Federal Excise Taxes
Beer distributor companies are the largest employers in the
beer industry. They serve every congressional district across
the country and provide quality jobs, solid wages and good
benefits for 98,000 hardworking men and women.
Although the economic contribution by the beer distribution
industry is significant, industry volume sales have been down
for the past two consecutive years. Sales have slumped as a
result of high unemployment and economic uncertainty. NBWA
supports federal policies that work to create jobs and put
American men and women back to work.
In this fragile economic recovery period, raising federal excise
taxes on such discretionary products as beer would have a
significant impact on beer industry jobs in every community
across the country.
NBWA asks for your commitment to oppose any
increase in the beer tax and to support policies that
enhance job creation.
Hours of Service
Beer distributors are responsible for safely and effectively
delivering their products to licensed retailers throughout their
communities. Delivery drivers typically operate within a 100mile radius making multiple delivery stops and returning to the
warehouse at the end of the day to end their shift. They also
receive two consecutive days of off-duty time per week.
When it comes to Hours-of-Service Regulations, NBWA
commends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA) for recognizing the difference between the drivers
that beer distributors employ and those who drive across state
lines for multiple consecutive hours over several days.
NBWA encourages Congress to continue supporting
FMCSA in its efforts to recognize the different types of
drivers with respect to Hours-of-Service Regulations.
Merger of National Institute of Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism with National
Institute of Drug Abuse
NBWA is opposed to the merger of the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) with the National Institute
of Drug Abuse (NIDA). NBWA opposes moving alcohol research
into a new agency with its primary focus on illegal drugs.
NBWA is very concerned about the loss of expertise and focus
in the unique attributes of alcohol and its regulation that NIAAA
has developed.
NBWA opposes a merger of the NIAAA and the NIDA.
Multi-Employer Pension Plans (MEPPs)
Some beer distributors participate in multi-employer, defined
benefits or pension plans (MEPPs) and have diligently upheld
their contribution commitments to such pension funds. A number of these MEPPs are currently underfunded. The withdrawal
liability for employers in such underfunded plans could exceed
a company’s net worth. Many now face the prospect of enormous withdrawal liability payments if they are ever to sell the
business or do anything else that would trigger the liability. It is
increasingly difficult for small business owners to keep absorbing these tremendous liabilities.
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 originally included a
proposal to limit the liability of small businesses. The language
would have provided an exemption from withdrawal liability for
companies that have paid their fair share and a payroll of fewer
than 500 employees. Unfortunately, the language was stripped
from the final version of the bill.
NBWA encourages Congress to pass legislation that
would reform MEPPs and provide withdrawal liability
relief for small businesses.
Natural Gas Vehicles and Tax Credits
NBWA supports legislation that would extend and increase
tax credits for natural gas vehicles and the refueling of such
vehicles. Extending the alternative fueled vehicle and refueling property tax credits would provide an incentive for beer
distributors to replace their current fleets of delivery trucks.
Cleaner and more environmentally friendly trucks would benefit
the communities in which beer distributors operate.
NBWA encourages Congress to pass legislation that
would extend tax credits for natural gas vehicles.
Reauthorization of the STOP Underage
Drinking Law
Reauthorization of the Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act is necessary to increase and better coordinate
federal support for state efforts in the fight against underage
drinking and to reaffirm the effective state-based regulation of
alcohol.
The STOP Act, which became law in 2006 with NBWA’s support, identifies the unique attributes of alcohol and is consistent with the 21st Amendment by recognizing that individual
states have the ability to regulate alcohol within their borders.
Specifically, it highlights health and safety concerns related
to underage drinking and provides funding for state initiatives to address such problems. It also authorized a national
media campaign, new grant programs and research to combat
underage drinking. The STOP Act also formally established and
funded the federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on the
Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD), chaired by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, to help coordinate
the various federal agencies involved in alcohol issues.
NBWA asks Congress to reauthorize and fully fund the
STOP Act so that the fight against underage drinking
may continue.
National Beer Wholesalers Association
1101 King Street, Suite 600 • Alexandria, Virginia 22314-2965 • www.nbwa.org