Latest on the Paycheck Protection Program

Deductibility of expenses:  As you know, the IRS ruled earlier this year that otherwise-tax-deductible expenses that are paid with a forgiven PPP loan will not be deductible.  This ruling is in direct conflict with the statute, which clearly said PPP loans would not be taxable.  NAW and our trade association colleagues have been working with allies in the House and Senate to pass legislation that would reaffirm statutory intent and reverse the IRS ruling.  We have also communicated with the SBA and Treasury urging that the IRS ruling be rescinded, but with no success – Secretary Mnuchin has been truly “dug-in” on this issue.

November 3rd. It’s finally here. It feels a bit silly to submit my monthly column just prior to the Presidential election, but here it goes. I’m not a professional political commentator, nor do I want to predict the winner. Let’s just hope we have a clear winner right away, so we can all get on with our lives. I whispered to my friends as they headed to the polls, “Make good choices.”

I get asked this question frequently, “So what do you think will happen to gun sales if Trump wins (or if Biden wins)?” yada yada yada. My answer hasn’t changed much in the past several election cycles. My answer of “We will be fine” is not a complacent one. I know we will have challenges either way, but our industry is tough, and we have the right people on Capitol Hill (NSSF, CSF, and others) fighting for our Second Amendment and hunting/shooting rights. The fight may be more challenging at times, but we’ve been there for each other, and we fight together.

NSSF’s Government Relations Team dedicates its time and resources to supporting legislation beneficial to our industry and fighting those bills that infringe on our rights to legally conduct business and compromise everyone’s Second Amendment rights. Team members attend legislative hearings on the federal, state and local levels year-round across the nation, keeping their finger on the pulse of those issues affecting us.

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW), the association representing shooting sports wholesalers, manufacturers, and their trade partners, is excited to announce the winners of their annual Appreciation and Caliber Awards virtually, in place of their Appreciation Dinner during the Annual NASGW Expo, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the cancellation of the 2020 NASGW Expo, the 2020 Caliber Awards Finalists and Appreciation Award Nominees have been selected.

As a young man, I came across publicly as a pretty outgoing guy. But on the inside, I was often terrified of facing rejection, of being wrong, of failing. When it came to dating, my hands would sweat and I’d turn into a nervous wreck. Asking a girl out on a date was very hard for me.

So imagine my shock and surprise when I first saw the woman I would eventually marry on a volleyball court prior to my senior year of college and I leaned over to a buddy and said, “You see that blond, I’m going to marry her.” I was dead serious, but he laughed at me hysterically. He knew full well that I hadn’t even met her yet.

As you can see, now I had some figuring out to do in order to make that statement come to fruition.

The U.S. House of Representatives built off the historic passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, and other conservation victories in the 116th Congress, by passing America's Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act (S. 3051), on a voice vote, making this Congress one of the most impactful for sportsmen and women in a lifetime.
The ACE Act, which was led by Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus (CSC) Members Senators John Barrasso and Tom Carper and cosponsored by CSC Leaders Senators Martin Heinrich and John Boozman, passed the Senate unanimously for the second time this Congress exactly two weeks ago. The near-universal support for the ACE Act is in large part due to the efforts of the bipartisan CSC as well as strong support from the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF). The ACE Act includes approximately a dozen provisions including a number of long-standing priorities for CSF such as:

There are positive signs of 2020 starting to peak around the corner if you are looking for them. First of all, it’s Fall y’all. I recently traveled back to Aspen to experience the changing of the leaves and inhale some fresh, cool mountain air. That alone was enough to re-energize the soul. Fly fishing was another. The best part was bringing my father with me as we drifted along the Roaring Fork, observing the incredible gold and red trees while catching numerous beautiful rainbow trout. Upon my return back home, even Louisiana was experiencing some cooler temps that touched the 50’s at night. Another good sign.

Many, if not most, US firearm distributors have live data feeds connecting their on-hand inventory and one or more eCommerce platforms. Those online shopping destinations become more popular every day, especially with the increase in drop ship capabilities reducing the time from order submission to product receipt. But connecting distribution facilities to an eCommerce provider involves various state and local laws that have direct and indirect considerations. The following is a fresh look at how those laws affect the distribution channel.

On September 14, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and roughly 30 partners from the sporting-conservation community sent a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) thanking the Bureau for their efforts to improve opportunities for recreational shooters.