The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote today on passage of the FY '07 Science, State and Justice (SSJ) appropriations bill. A controversial provision allowing for a half-cent per ton tax on makers and importers of explosives was stripped out of the legislation on June 27 when Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) raised a point of order against the provision. The point of order against legislating on an appropriations bill was sustained thus deleting the provision from the measure.

NSSGA has repeatedly opposed the administration's reoccurring proposal to include up to two-cents per ton tax to help fund the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, by generating about $120 million per year. NSSGA worked closely with its partners in the Safety & Security Alliance for Explosives to ensure the tax was struck from the House bill. Our attention now turns to the Senate where we hope the House action will assist in discouraging the Senate appropriators from including an explosives tax in their version of the SSJ spending bill. We will continue to keep you updated on developments.

HOUSE TO TAKE UP SAFETEA-LU TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS