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WASHINGTON – The National Retail Federation on Tuesday launched a television, print and digital ad campaign that takes aim at the proposed border adjustment tax (BAT), arguing that it would increase the price of everyday necessities and cost the average family as much as much as $1,700 in the first year.
“American consumers are being asked to foot the bill for a new $1 trillion tax giveaway for multinational companies, and this campaign will make sure those paying for it know it,” NRF Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French said. “We need tax reform that rewards entrepreneurs and allows businesses to grow and create good-paying jobs that lift working families up. The BAT does just the opposite, penalizing Americans by adding a tax on clothing, food, gas and other necessities while threatening the very industry that 42 million hardworking men and women rely upon for their livelihoods.”
The TV spot can be viewed on the campaign landing page, bat.tax, and will air on the Fox News Channel’s morning program, “FOX and Friends,” and during the NBC show “Saturday Night Live” on Saturday, March 4. The television ads will be supported with a digital and print campaign and will encourage consumers to contact their members of Congress to express opposition to the border adjustment tax.
Proponents of the BAT say it could boost exports and encourage manufacturers to reopen plants in the United States, creating new jobs for American workers. But the NRF argues any job gains at U.S. manufacturers would be more than offset by losses in the retail industry, which is the nation’s largest private-sector employer. Retailers support one out of four U.S. jobs, or 42 million positions, according to the NRF, which says a BAT could cause retailers to incur big tax bills, potentially driving some out of business. The small retailers that make up 98% of the retail industry and provide 40% of its jobs would be at the biggest risk, according to the trade group..
