{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://plaskett.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3757", "PLASKETT AND GONZ\u00c1LEZ-COL\u00d3N INTRODUCE LEGISLATION FOR THE PERMANENCE OF THE FEDERAL REBATE PROGRAM ON RUM TAX", "2021-03-08", "2021", "2021-03", "Democrat", "House", "VI", "Stacey E. Plaskett", "P000610", "plaskett.house.gov", "plaskett", "https://plaskett.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "For Immediate Release Contact: Michael J. McQuerry\n\nMarch 8, 2021 202-215-8524\n\nPLASKETT AND GONZ\u00c1LEZ-COL\u00d3N INTRODUCE LEGISLATION FOR THE PERMANENCE OF THE FEDERAL REBATE PROGRAM ON RUM TAX\n\nWashington, DC - Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonz\u00e1lez Col\u00f3n introduced legislation on the federal rum tax refund program that impacts the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Congresswoman Plaskett released the following statement:\n\n\u201cThis is a measure to fix a long-standing fiscal cliff related to the rebate of federal excise taxes on distilled spirits production in the territories: the \u2018rum cover over\u2019. The cover-over has been part of the fundamental tax relationship between the United States and its territories going back over a century,\u201d stated Congresswoman Plaskett. \u201cThis bill would repeal the limit that has been imposed on the program since 1984. That will help to provide essential public services and to encourage production and employment on the islands as we recover from pandemic and economic downturn.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe rum cover over has been an invaluable tool for spurring economic development and creating well-paid jobs both in Puerto Rico and in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Government of Puerto Rico has consistently allocated the vast majority of these funds to its General Fund and to entities that contribute to the general welfare of our population, such as the Conservation Trust, the Authority for Financing of Infrastructure (AFI), and the Science, Technology and Research Trust,\u201d stated Resident Commissioner Gonz\u00e1lez Col\u00f3n. \u201cBoth territories seek its permanence, as was the case prior to 1984, to create certainty in the funding for these entities and so that they won't have to seek its reauthorization every two years.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe government of the Virgin Islands has always allocated the vast majority of the rum taxes to its general fund, as well as to entities that contribute to the general welfare of the population,\u201d stated Congresswoman Plaskett. \u201cThis important legislation would ensure that all revenue from federal excise taxes on rum produced in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and sold in the United States is returned to the territories of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, respectively, providing a more reliable and consistent funding source to the islands\u2019 treasuries as we continue to endure this period of economic uncertainty.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-28T00:47:42Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://plaskett.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3757"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8187480270862579, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}