Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05), co-chair and founder of the Congressional Wine Caucus, lauded the decision by the United States Trade Representative not to increase tariffs on wine imports, a revision for which Thompson fought.

“The revised tariffs are a huge win for our American wine community. While I disagree with the current 25 percent rate, I applaud the ambassador for not instituting additional levels,” Thompson said Friday.

“Ensuring that wine tariffs do not increase from the current status is something I have been fighting for since December as such an increase would harm our American wine community, putting jobs and local economies at risk. I wrote to the ambassador asking him to take this important step and I am glad to see it put into place today. This is a win for our wine community. It will benefit everyone from consumers to vineyard workers. I will continue to fight to keep wine off the next list of potential tariff increases,” Thompson said.

In January, Thompson and 107 other members of the Congressional Wine Caucus wrote to United States Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer, asking him to refrain from including wine in potential retaliatory tariffs in response to the European Union’s illegal Airbus subsidies.

The letter’s signers highlighted the potential harmful effects on the American wine community, which has a year impact of $220 billion on our economy.

Thompson is proud to represent California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.