Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02) and William Timmons (R-SC-04) launched the Congressional Coffee Caucus to provide a forum to uplift coffee’s positive impact on the U.S. economy and help strengthen the resilience of the crop’s global supply chain.
"Coffee is more than just a daily ritual—it’s a vital pillar of our economy, supporting millions of farmers, businesses, and communities across the country. From the fields in my home state of Hawaiʻi, to the roasteries and manufacturing plants in South Carolina and Vermont, coffee is consumed and enjoyed in every congressional district in the nation," said Rep. Tokuda. “That’s why I’m proud to launch the Congressional Coffee Caucus with my colleague Rep. Timmons to highlight the positive impacts of our coffee industry that brings people together, one cup at a time."
“Coffee is a vital part of the U.S. economy, supporting millions of American jobs and generating billions in revenue from coast to coast. Beyond that, its health benefits keep our workforce sharp. The Coffee Caucus celebrates this powerhouse industry by uniting lawmakers over a cup, fostering bipartisan collaboration, and paving the way for policies that strengthen both our economy and our well-being," said Rep. Timmons.
Focus areas of the caucus are:
- Agricultural Resilience: strengthening and increasing research and development funding to assist coffee farmers, both domestically (including in Hawaiʻi and Puerto Rico) and globally;
- Economic Development: prioritizing coffee in trade and economic policy to support a strong U.S. coffee market, resilient supply chain, and broad-based social and economic development in coffee-growing countries that advance U.S. national security interests; and
- Healthy Diets: advancing the development of scientific research into the health benefits of drinking coffee.
“With two-thirds of American adults drinking coffee each day, NCA is proud to see Congressional leaders sharing the joy of coffee and kicking off this historic effort to recognize coffee as a touchstone in Americans’ daily lives and a huge driver of economic value in every U.S. state and territory,” said National Coffee Association President and CEO William “Bill” Murray.
“Congratulations to Reps. Tokuda and Timmons in leading this Congressional bipartisan effort to support the important needs of the U.S. coffee industry. Coffee may be small in scale when compared to most American Agricultural production, but we rank very high in keeping American Commerce moving. Mahalo to all of you,” said Kimo Falconer, Hawaiʻi Coffee Growers Association.
Members of the Congressional Coffee Caucus include: Co-Chair Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Co-Chair William Timmons (R-SC), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Derek Tran (D-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Max Miller (R-OH), Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Mark Green (R-TN), Laura Friedman (D-CA), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Becca Balint (D-VT), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), and Maxine Dexter (D-OR).
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