Businesses roll out coalition to support House GOP border tax

A group of more than 25 businesses launched a coalition on Thursday that supports House Republicans’ tax-reform blueprint, including a provision in it to tax imports and exempt exports.

The American Made Coalition views the “border-adjustment” provision as a way to improve the business environment for U.S. manufacturing, according to a news release from the group.

“The American Made Coalition is committed to advancing legislation that modernizes our tax system, levels the playing field for American businesses and workers, encourages investment, incentivizes job creation in the U.S., and helps American-made products compete worldwide,” said John Gentzel, spokesman for the coalition. “The House tax reform blueprint has the best chance of moving real transformative tax reform for the first time in more than 30 years.”

{mosads}The coalition includes companies in the agriculture, technology and manufacturing sectors. There are both exporters and importers in the group.

The American Made Coalition was unveiled a day after a group of retailers launched a separate coalition to oppose the border-adjustment tax. The retailers argue that the proposal would increase the price of goods for consumers.

Lobbying efforts around the border-adjustment proposal have escalated in recent months, as House Republicans work to create tax-reform legislation based on their blueprint.