Support the Community of Beer Enthusiasts and Small Brewers: Contact Your Congressional Representative

Dear Beer Enthusiasts and Homebrewers,

We’re asking you to contact your U.S. Representative and ask him or her to join the House Small Brewers Caucus. What is the House Small Brewers Caucus?

The U.S. House of Representatives Small Brewers Caucus was formed in 2007 by interested Members of Congress. Their mission is to gain a better understanding of all aspects of small, amateur and professional craft brewing, from business and regulatory issues to the brewing process and history of the small brewing community. The members of the Caucus are passionate about small brewers and craft beer. Co-chairs Representative Peter DeFazio (OR) and Representative Denny Rehberg (MT) have themselves been homebrewers and are avid beer enthusiasts.

Currently, only 49 Representatives belong to the Caucus. To put that in some perspective, 344 Congressional districts are home to at least one small brewery and we assume every one of the 435 districts is home to homebrewers and beer enthusiasts.

You can help by asking your U.S. Representative to join the Caucus. Help assure that you have the strongest voice possible speaking on your beer behalf in Congress.

You’ve come to appreciate the flavor, diversity and quality of your homebrew or locally brewed beers from America’s small breweries. In these uncertain economic and legislative times you can imagine how important it is to educate Congress about the community of homebrewers, beer enthusiasts and small brewers.

Ask your Representative to join the Caucus. Following are resource materials to assist you, including a brief message you can use to make your contact, either sending it “as is” or modifying it to add your personal message.

Thanks for all you do in support of America’s small brewing community.

Charlie Papazian

President, Brewers Association

Gary Glass

Director, American Homebrewers Association

_________________________________________________________

Below is a list of the 49 U.S. Representatives who are currently Small Brewers Caucus members. If your Representative DOES NOT appear on this list, please take a moment and email your Member of Congress about joining the Caucus.

If your Representative is already a member, please email him/her a brief thank you for their support of both small brewers and you, the craft beer drinker and enthusiast.

Please visit the official U.S. House of Representatives web site http://www.house.gov/ to access your Representative’s personal web page and contact information – just enter your zip code in the “Find Your Representative” search box in the upper left-hand corner and then click on your Representative’s name on the page that displays to enter his/her personal web page.

House Small Brewers Caucus Roster (as of July 28, 2009)
District Representative District Representative
AR-02 Vic Snyder
MT-AL Denny Rehberg
AZ-05 Harry Mitchell
NE-02 Lee Terry
CA-01 Mike Thompson
NY-12 Nydia Velazquez
CA-02 Wally Herger
NY-17 Eliot Engel
CA-06 Lynn Woolsey
NY-22 Maurice Hinchey
CA-49 Darrell Issa
NY-24 Mike Arcuri
CA-50 Brian Bilbray
OK-03 Frank Lucas
CO-01 Diana DeGette
OK-04 Tom Cole
CO-02 Jared Polis
OR-01 David Wu
CO-03 John Salazar
OR-02 Greg Walden
CO-05 Doug Lamborn
OR-03 Earl Blumenauer
CO-07 Ed Perlmutter
OR-04 Peter DeFazio
GA-05 John Lewis
PA-06 Jim Gerlach
HI-02 Mazie Hirono
PA-08 Patrick Murphy
IA-02 Dave Loebsack
PA-15 Charles Dent
KS-03 Dennis Moore
SC-01 Henry Brown, Jr.
MA-01 John Olver
TX-23 Ciro Rodriguez
MA-09 Stephen Lynch
TX-25 Lloyd Doggett
MA-10 William Delahunt
VA-05 Tom Perriello
MI-01 Bert Stupak
VT-AL Peter Welch
MI-02 Peter Hoekstra
WA-02 Rick Larsen
MI-04 Dave Camp
WA-04 Doc Hastings
MI-06 Fred Upton
WA-08 Dave Reichert
MI-11 Thaddeus McCotter
WI-02 Tammy Baldwin
MO-03 Russ Carnahan

Suggested letter for your U.S. Representative

Dear Representative _____________,

As your constituent, I am writing to ask you to join the House Small Brewers Caucus, co-chaired by Representatives Peter DeFazio and Denny Rehberg.

The purpose of the Small Brewers Caucus is to provide Members of Congress and their staff an opportunity to learn about activities of the American craft brewing community, which includes over 1,500 small and independent American brewery businesses, and beer and homebrewing enthusiasts that participate in and contribute to local community activities and economies. The Small Brewers Caucus also offers opportunities to learn about the science and art of beer and brewing, the dynamics of running a small business as a brewery, the associated regulatory and societal issues and the value of craft beers and small brewing activities.

As a beer enthusiast and ardent supporter of America’s small professional and amateur brewers, I appreciate the many contributions their small, independent businesses make to their local communities. From their flavorful and distinctive locally brewed beers to their community involvement, small breweries are important economic and social hubs in their local communities.

Please contact the Washington office of either Representative DeFazio (202-225-6416) or Representative Rehberg (202-225-3211) to learn more about the Small Brewers Caucus and to join. Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely,