Americans for Affordable Products Letter to Congress Signed by More Than 200 Members

February 28, 2017

The Honorable Paul Ryan
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
H-232, U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Majority Leader
U.S. Senate
S-230, U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Democratic Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
H-204, U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Democratic Leader
U.S. Senate
S-221, U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Speaker Ryan and Leaders McConnell, Pelosi and Schumer:

We are a coalition of job creators, entrepreneurs, business leaders and small businesses united in support of pro-growth, comprehensive tax reform that protects existing jobs and creates new ones. The Border Adjustment Tax, however, seriously jeopardizes the opportunity to update our outdated, complex and anti-competitive tax code.

The goal of tax reform should be to lower effective tax rates for businesses of all sizes and ensure Americans benefit with more money in their wallet. We believe the Border Adjustment Tax would do the exact opposite by raising effective tax rates for many companies to well over 100%.

The Border Adjustment Tax is not simple or fair. It proposes a massive tax increase on consumers and would result in increased costs on everyday necessities like food, clothing, gasoline and prescription drugs – necessities that Americans rely on daily – by as much as $1,700. It is really a "cost of living tax" that will make the lives of millions of middle-class Americans harder and more expensive.

Moreover, it imperils millions of good jobs in America as viable businesses likely would be forced to close as the result of this policy. Our coalition represents over 42 million American jobs tied to the retail sector and millions of other jobs in allied industries like automobile manufacturing. We believe that tax reform must proceed without the Border Adjustment Tax in order to ensure the job creation potential of the U.S economy remains vibrant.

As you and your colleagues work to develop your framework for tax reform, we hope you will keep our point of view in mind.

We believe in American jobs, especially the resurgence of U.S. manufacturing, but American families should not bear the burden and existing jobs should not be put at risk.

Collectively, we stand ready to work with you on solutions that will reform our outdated tax code in a comprehensive manner and look forward to an ongoing dialogue that helps you understand the severe negative economic impact this legislation will have on all Americans. Thank you for your leadership on this matter.

Abercrombie & Fitch
Advance Auto
Alabama Retail Association
Aldo
Alliance of Wisconsin Retailers
alphabroder
American Apparel & Footwear Association
(AAFA)
American Beverage Licensees
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
American Import Shippers Association (AISA)
American International Automobile Dealers
Association
American Sale
American Signature Inc.
American Supply Association
Arizona Retailers Association
Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants
Ascena Retail Group Inc.
Association of Food Industries
Association of Global Automakers, Inc
Auto Care Association
Automotive Aftermarket Association Southeast, Inc.
AutoZone
Beall’s Inc.
Belk, Inc.
Best Buy
Big Lots
BJ’s Wholesale
Brea Bead Works
Break North
California Retailers Association
Carolina Imports
Carter's
Caster Connection, Inc.
Chico’s FAS
Clarks
CN Railway
Colorado Retail Council
Competitive Edge
Connecticut Retail Merchants Association
Consumer Technology Association
Costco
Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc.
Crate & Barrel Holdings, Inc.
Dave’s Soda and Pet City
Deer Stags Concepts
Diageo North America
DICK’S Sporting Goods
Dillard's, Inc.
Dollar General
Dollar Tree, Inc.
DSW
Family Dollar Stores, Inc.
Fashion Accessories Shippers Association (FASA)
Fashion Jewelry and Accessories Trade Association
Five Below
Florida Grocers Association
Florida Petroleum & Marketers Association
Florida Retail Federation
Food Marketing Institute
Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America
(FDRA)
Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
Gap Inc.
Geiger
Gemini Shippers Association
Genesco
George Jackson Promotions
Georgia Retail Association
Gilt
Hirsch Gift
Home Furnishings Association
HSNi
Idaho Retailers Association
IKEA North America Services, LLC
Illinois Retail Merchants Association
Image Source
Indiana Retail Council
International Franchise Association
International Housewares Association (IHA)
International Seaway Trading Corp.
International Wood Products Association
Iowa Retail Federation
J. Rene‚ Group
J.Crew Group, Inc.
JCPenney
Jewelers of America
Jewelry Television
Jo-Ann Stores, LLC
Kansas Retail Council
Kentucky Retail Federation
Kohl's Department Stores, Inc.
Learning Resources
Levi Strauss & Co
Lord & Taylor
Louisiana Retailers Association
Macy’s, Inc.
Maryland Retailers Association
Meijer, Inc.
Mercuria Energy Group Ltd.
Michaels Stores, Inc.
Michigan Retailers Association
Minnesota Retailers Association
Mississippi Retail & Grocers Association
Missouri Retailers Association
Montana Equipment Dealers Association
Montana Restaurant Associations
Montana Retail Association
Montana Tire Dealers
Nakios Group
National Association of Beverage Importers
National Association of Chain Drug Stores
(NACDS)
National Association of Music Merchants
National Fisheries Institute
National Grocers Association
National Retail Federation
National Truck Stop Operators
Nebraska Retail Federation
Neiman Marcus Group, Inc.
New Hampshire Retail Association
New Jersey Retail Merchants Association
New Mexico Retail Association
Nfinity Athletic LLC
NIKE, Inc.
North Carolina Retail Merchants Association
North Dakota Retail Association
Ohio Council of Retail Merchants
Oklahoma Retail Merchants Association
Overstock.com
Payless ShoeSource
Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association
Pennsylvania Retailers Association
Pernod Ricard USA
Petco Animal Supplies, Inc
Pier 1 Imports
Premiums Plus
Pro Image Sports
Promotional Products Association International
(PPAI)
PVH Corp.
Quad Graphics
QVC
Random Harvest Inc.
Raymour & Flanigan Furniture
Reflective Shopper
Retail Association of Maine
Retail Association of Nevada
Retail Council of New York State
Retail Industry Leaders Association
Retailers Association of Massachusetts
RG Barry
RhythmLink International
Rio Grande Valley Partnership
Rite Aid
Ross Stores, Inc.
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th
San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
SanMar Corporation
South Carolina Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Schwartz & Benjamin
Sears Holdings Corporation
Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates
Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of
America
South Carolina Retail Association
South Dakota Retailers Association
Southern California Local Beads Store Association
Spencer Spirit Holdings, Inc.
Stage Stores, Inc.
Steve Madden
Stowe Mercantile
Strikeforce Bowling LLC
Synclaire Brands
Tailored Brands
Target Corp.
Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc.
Tennessee Retail Association
Texas Retailers Association
Texture Technologies Corp.
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.
The Children's Place
The Container Store
The Greenbrier Companies, Inc.
The Honest Company
Tommies, LLC
Toms Shoes, LLC
Toy Industry Association
Toyota Motor North America, Inc
Travel Goods Association (TGA)
TTI Global Resources
U.S. Fashion Industry Association
Utah Food Industry Association
Utah Retail Merchants Association
Vermont Retail & Grocers Association
Virginia Retail Federation
Walgreens Boots Alliance
Walmart
Washington Retail Association
Weaver's, Inc
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.
Wolverine Worldwide
Xerox
Zakback, Inc.
Zulily