American Catfishing Association * American Fisheries Society * American Fly Fishing Trade Association * American Sportfishing Association * Angler Action Foundation * Archery Trade Association * Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies * Backcountry Hunters & Anglers * Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) * BoatU.S. * Bonefish & Tarpon Trust * Boone and Crockett Club * California Waterfowl Association * Center for Sportfishing Policy * Coastal Conservation Association * Conservation Force * Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation * Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports * Dallas Safari Club * Delta Waterfowl * Ducks Unlimited * Guy Harvey Foundation * Houston Safari Club * International Game Fish Association * Izaak Walton League of America * Major League Fishing * Marine Retailers Association of the Americas * Masters of Foxhounds Association * Midwest Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies * Mule Deer Foundation * National Bobwhite & Grassland Initiative Foundation * National Deer Association * National Marine Manufacturers Association * National Professional Anglers Association * National Shooting Sports Foundation * National Wild Turkey Federation * National Wildlife Federation * New York State Conservation Council * North American Falconers Association * North American Grouse Partnership * Northeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies * Orion: The Hunter’s Institute * Outdoor Industry Association * Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Association * Pheasants Forever * Pope & Young Club * Professional Outfitters and Guides of America * Quail Forever * Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation * Safari Club International * Safari Club International Foundation * Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies * Sportsmen’s Alliance * The Conservation Fund * The Wildlife Society * Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership * Trout Unlimited * Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies * Whitetails Unlimited * Wild Sheep Foundation * Wildlife Forever * Wildlife Management Institute * Wildlife Mississippi
Feb. 20, 2025
The Honorable Jimmy Panetta
U.S. House of Representatives
200 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Mike Thompson
U.S. House of Representatives
268 Cannon Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Troy Carter
U.S. House of Representatives
442 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Blake Moore
U.S. House of Representatives
1131 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Dr. Greg Murphy
U.S. House of Representatives
407 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable August Pfluger
U.S. House of Representatives
2202 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representatives Panetta, Moore, Thompson, Murphy, Carter and Pfluger,
We, the undersigned sportsmen, professional societies, and conservation organizations, representing millions of hunters, anglers, outdoor recreationists and businesses across the United States, commend your leadership in introducing legislation to address the critical issue of foreign manufacturers avoiding the federal excise tax (FET) on sportfishing and archery equipment through online marketplace facilitators.
The Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration Programs, funded primarily by the FET collected from archery, sportfishing, and firearms industries, are essential to supporting state fish and wildlife agencies and conservation initiatives nationwide. Unfortunately, the current tax collection model has created a loophole that allows foreign manufacturers to sell sportfishing and archery equipment directly to U.S. consumers via online marketplaces without paying the FET.
This avoidance not only undermines a significant portion of current financial support of the American System of Conservation Funding but also gives foreign manufacturers an unfair advantage over domestic competitors. Estimates suggest that the annual loss in revenue due to this loophole exceeds $17 million, a figure that is almost certain to grow if left unaddressed.
Thank you for efforts to close this tax loophole and ensure that all sportfishing and archery equipment manufacturers, regardless of their location, contribute their fair share to supporting conservation efforts. Your legislation aligns with the recommendation from the recent Government Accountability Office report titled “Action Needed to Improve Compliance for Sport Fishing and Archery Imports” (GAO-24-106569). By requiring online marketplace facilitators to collect the FET on behalf of foreign manufacturers, we can protect the integrity of the excise tax system and safeguard the future of our nation’s fish and wildlife resources.
We stand ready to work with you and our industry partners to advance this important legislation and ensure its successful passage. Thank you for your commitment to conserving our natural heritage.
Sincerely,
American Catfishing Association
American Fisheries Society
American Fly Fishing Trade Association
American Sportfishing Association
Angler Action Foundation
Archery Trade Association
Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.)
BoatU.S.
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust
Boone and Crockett Club
California Waterfowl Association
Center for Sportfishing Policy
Coastal Conservation Association
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
Conservation Force
Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports
Dallas Safari Club
Delta Waterfowl
Ducks Unlimited
Guy Harvey Foundation
Houston Safari Club
International Game Fish Association
Izaak Walton League of America
Major League Fishing
Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
Masters of Foxhounds Association
Midwest Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
Mule Deer Foundation
National Bobwhite & Grassland Initiative Foundation
National Deer Association
National Marine Manufacturers Association
National Professional Anglers Association
National Shooting Sports Foundation
National Wild Turkey Federation
National Wildlife Federation
New York State Conservation Council
North American Falconers Association
North American Grouse Partnership
Northeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
Orion: The Hunter’s Institute
Outdoor Industry Association
Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Association
Pheasants Forever
Pope & Young Club
Professional Outfitters and Guides of America
Quail Forever
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Safari Club International
Safari Club International Foundation
Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
Sportsmen’s Alliance
The Conservation Fund
The Wildlife Society
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Trout Unlimited
Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
Whitetails Unlimited
Wild Sheep Foundation
Wildlife Forever
Wildlife Management Institute
Wildlife Mississippi
