Potential TTB Closure with Government Shutdown

Disagreement Remains over Federal Government Funding as Nov. 17 Deadline Approaches

Due to delays caused by recent leadership elections in the House of Representatives, Congress has yet to settle on a path forward to resolve outstanding government funding issues. Current funding authority expires on Nov. 17, 2023, and if Congress does not act, the federal government will shut down. Significant disagreements over spending priorities, including aid for Israel and Ukraine as well as the length of a second short-term extension, have stymied negotiations to date and increased the likelihood of a shutdown.

Wineries are advised that in the event of a government shutdown, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) would be closed except for very limited activities related to the protection of life and property. For the duration of any shutdown, TTB would not process or work on any Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) applications, formula approvals, permit applications or laboratory service requests. At this point, it is not possible to predict the duration or exact time of a shutdown if one happens. The last government shutdown took place from December 2018 to January 2019 and TTB was closed for 35 days. Significant backlogs and delays in certain approval processes occurred after TTB reopened.

Wine Institute continues to communicate regularly with Congressional offices to advocate against any government shutdown and highlight the potential negative consequences it could have on our sector. We will continue to share updates with members as warranted.