On Thursday, Feb. 13, a delegation of 11 AAMA members, led by Executive Vice President Pete Gustafson, spent the day on Capitol Hill advocating for issues crucial to the amusement industry – tariffs and supply chain challenges among them.
The AAMA member attendees included Rich Babich (The Game Exchange of Colorado); Britannie Betti (Betson); Jonathan Durst (Pyramid Technologies); Chris Felix (TouchTunes); Amy Hedrik (Cleanbox); Denise Killian (TrainerTainment); Keitha McBride (A&A Global); George and Howard McAuliffe (Pinnacle Entertainment Group); Michael Nowak (Rhode Island Novelty); and Nick Sarioglou (Betson).
The Congressional offices they visited included that of Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (Maryland); Sen. Ruben Gallego (Arizona); Sen. Andy Kim (New Jersey); Sen. Tim Scott (South Carolina); Sen. Raphael Warnock (Georgia); Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts); Rep. Diana DeGette (Colorado); Rep. Mark Green (Tennessee); Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (Pennsylvania); Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (Illinois); Rep. Mike Levin (California); Rep. Johnny Olszewski (Maryland); Rep. Jan Schakowsky (Illinois); Rep. Jason Smith (Missouri); and Rep. Beth Van Duyne (Texas).
AAMA reported that member attendees split into two groups to maximize outreach. Regarding the top issue of the day, the association noted: “While AAMA acknowledges the importance of strategically imposed tariffs to support American-made products, broad tariff applications have had unintended consequences. Many critical components essential to the amusement industry – such as plush and prizes, computer boards, chips, and display monitors – are exclusively manufactured in China. As a result, tariffs have led to increased costs, with some suppliers imposing a 10% price hike on existing orders. These added expenses place significant strain on small businesses, limiting their ability to grow and compete effectively.”
Click here to visit the AAMA website for more information about the D.C. visit, including their support of Section 199A to make the Main Street Tax Credit Permanent, and their position to repeal the Corporate Transparency Act.