NAMM Policy Priorities

Public Policy for NAMM Members

NAMM serves its members by tracking, engaging and educating on matters of public policy, based on three priorities: Business Compliance, Music Education Advocacy and Workforce Development. We represent the interests of the music products industry through virtual and in-person advocacy campaigns, such as the NAMM Music Education D.C. Fly-In. Members are invited to participate in trade, sustainability and music education advocacy working groups, as well as in educational webinars and advocacy efforts. Contact us for more information.

Featured Article

NAMM Files Two Formal Comments With U.S. Trade Representative Seeking Tariff Rel…

July 6, 2026 The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), the leading nonprofit trade association for the global music products industry, this week filed two formal written comments with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), continuing the association’s sustained advocacy for tariff relief on behalf of music makers, music retailers, American instrument manufacturers and school music programs nationwide. The filings, submitted in response to Federal Register notices published by USTR, address two separate federal trade proceedings and build on the detailed economic record NAMM established in its April 15, 2026, comment and May 8 hearing testimony in USTR’s Section 301 investigations. Supporting Reciprocal Tariff Relief Through the U.S.–China Board of Trade In comments filed under Docket No. USTR-2026-0430, NAMM expressed strong support for the establishment and stated objectives of the U.S.–China Board of Trade and urged USTR to place musical instruments, accessories and related products on the initial list of non-sensitive products eligible for reciprocal tariff modification. The filing asks USTR to eliminate or substantially reduce the Se

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Read NAMM's Most Recent Articles on Issues that Impact Your Business

group of people meeting with congressman Thompson of PA

NAMM Joins NAfME Hill Day to Advance Federal Funding for Music Education

Photo: NAfME and NAMM delegation met with Congressman Glenn 'GT' Thompson (center), senior member of the House Education & Labor Committee June 26, 2026 On June 24, 2026, NAMM Associate Director of Public Policy Claire Kreger-Boaz joined more than 300 music educators, partners and college students in Washington, D.C., for the National Association for Music Education's (NAfME) annual Hill Day — one month after NAMM’s Advocacy D.C. Fly-In. The back-to-back collaboration between the music products industry and music educators creates some of the most visible days of advocacy on C

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Tariffs Explained

June 8, 2026 What You Need to Know: NAMM's Tariff Update for the Music Products Industry The tariff landscape is moving fast, and the decisions made in the next few weeks will have lasting consequences for the music products industry. At the June 5 policy webinar, NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak joined Associate Director of Public Policy Claire Kreger-Boaz and trade experts Chris Cushing, Cullen Hendrix and Dan Anthony to break down where things stand, what's coming and what the industry can do right now. WATCH JUNE 5 WEBINAR NAMM's Position Broad tariff actions harm A

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20 Years of Showing Up: NAMM Brings the Music Products Industry to Capitol Hill

May 22, 2026 For five days in May, the music products industry made Washington, D.C., its home — and Capitol Hill its stage. This year’s NAMM Advocacy D.C. Fly-In marked the 20th anniversary of the event, as 100 member delegates and partners from 74 companies representing all 50 states came to Capitol Hill with two goals: ask Congress to protect federal funding for music education and request tariff exemptions for musical instruments, along with the components and raw materials used to make them. What unfolded was a demonstration of what organized, passionate, industry-wide advoca

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NAMM Joins Stand Up 4 Arts Education Advocacy Day at the California State Capito…

April 29, 2026 On April 29, NAMM joined music educators, students and arts advocates from across California for the annual Stand Up 4 Arts Education (SU4AE) Advocacy Day at the State Capitol’s West Steps — and the NAMM team brought some of the music industry’s most passionate voices with them. NAMM Associate Director of Public Policy Claire Kreger-Boaz represented the association alongside a delegation of NAMM members who came to Sacramento ready to advocate: Natalie Morrison and Jeff Queen of Yamaha, Scott Mandeville of Tim’s Music, and Justin Emord, professional bass player and

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CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP)20 Update: New Requirements for Pernambuco …

Significant changes to international trade requirements for pernambuco (Paubrasilia echinata) were adopted at the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20), held in November and December 2025. NAMM actively participated in negotiations at CoP20 and sponsored a side event for delegates, ensuring the music products industry's perspective was represented throughout the process. What Changed Pernambuco has been listed under CITES Appendix II since September 13, 2007. At CoP20, Part

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SupportMusic Coalition Webinar Highlights State Alliance Strategies

March 31, 2026 The SupportMusic Coalition convened advocates, educators and industry partners on March 25 for a webinar focused on building effective state music education alliances. NAMM member advocates from Pennsylvania, Missouri and California shared hard-won lessons on coalition organizing, school board engagement and cross-sector collaboration. NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak opened the session by acknowledging a recent federal funding win — the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 largely preserved K-12 education funding levels — while cautioning that flat budgets i

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