PodcastsJul 23, 2026
Episode 7: Reinhold Jewelers on the Power of RelationshipsMildred Marcano Abrams and Yael Reinhold join the podcast to talk community connections, holiday plans, and preserving Reinhold’s legacy.
Policies & IssuesJun 22, 2016
From Capitol Hill, An Update on Sales Tax ‘Fairness’
The issue continues to gain momentum on both sides of the aisle while resistance is waning, those who just visited the Hill say.
Washington, D.C.—The Jewelers of America Political Action Committee led a delegation of jewelers to D.C. last week for the sixth consecutive year, and returned with an update on the issue known as sales tax fairness.
For years, the jewelry industry, backed by JA, has been pushing Congress to pass legislation requiring e-tailers to collect sales tax on all transactions. Retailers, particularly jewelers, have argued for years that the fact that online sellers don’t have to collect sales tax in all 50 states puts brick-and-mortar businesses at a competitive disadvantage, as many consumers choose to buy online to save themselves money.
Two bills currently are circulating in Congress addressing the issue.
In the U.S. Senate, it’s the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA), which was introduced in March 2015 by a group of four senators, two Democrat and two Republican. The MFA, which is nearly identical to legislation that made it through the Senate in 2013, is currently with the Senate finance committee.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, it’s the Remote Transactions Parity Act (RTPA), introduced in June 2015 by a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah).
While sales tax legislation has hit hurdles in the House in the past, momentum continues to build while resistance to the legislation seems to be waning.
Susan Posnock, JA’s director of public affairs and education, said the bill currently has about 65 sponsors, about half Democrat and half Republican. It is with the House Judiciary Committee, headed by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.).
While it seems unlikely the bill will make it out of committee in this very contentious, and very unusual, election year, JA has high hopes for 2017 and beyond.
“I think it’s inevitable that it’s going to pass,” said Posnock, who’s been monitoring the issue for years. “It’s not if; it’s when. It has the support. It’s just a matter of the right timing and the right pressure.”
She said that JA will really be looking to push the issue in the fall, after the noise generated by the presidential election quiets down.
Posnock said the hope is that the Senate version of the legislation, the MFA, will pass in the lame-duck session following the election, and that the House version, the RTPA, will pass after the new administration is ushered in in 2017.
If this is the case, she noted that the Senate--which passed a sales tax fairness
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
bill once already--will have to pass another version of the bill in the next Congress.
Both the House and the Senate will then have to reconcile the differences between their two bills and send it to the president for his, or her, signature.
Chris Fetzer of Haake Fetzer, the firm that leads JAPAC and JA legislative advocacy efforts in Washington, added that JA plans to continue to engage lawmakers in both chambers leading up to the November elections, in anticipation of the Senate’s floor consideration of the MFA during the lame-duck session.
He said that Senate passage of the MFA would increase pressure on the House to “afford sales tax fairness legislation long overdue consideration late this year as part of a larger legislative vehicle, and at a minimum, would position the broad coalition of industry and Congressional supporters to make passage of sales tax fairness legislation a Congressional priority in the next Congress.”
During their visit to Washington, members of the JAPAC delegation met with key supporters of legislation they say would level the playing field between online and brick-and-mortar businesses, including Reps. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), Mia Love (R-Utah), and Ted Poe (R-Texas), all cosponsors of the RTPA, and, on the Senate side, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who voted in favor of the measure when it passed in 2013.
They also talked with lawmakers about the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed changes to the Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries, emphasizing JA’s opposition to the use of the word “cultured” when describing lab-grown diamonds.
JA said that lawmakers, particularly Stivers, “expressed interest” in supporting the association’s position.
During the two days they spent in Washington, the JAPAC delegation also met with other members of Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), chairman of the House Rules Committee, and Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), chairman of the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee with jurisdiction over the cultured diamond issue.
The JA members on the trip were:
Brian Alter, Alter’s Gem Jewelry, Beaumont, Texas (JA member);
Jon Bridge, Ben Bridge Jeweler, Seattle (JAPAC Board);
Jenny Caro, Jewelry by Designs, Woodbridge, Va. (JAPAC board chair, JA board);
Jeff and Jim Corey, Day’s Jewelers; Waterville, Maine (JAPAC board vice chair);
Ronda Daily, Bremer’s Jewelry; Peoria, Ill. (JA member);
Bill Farmer Jr., Farmer’s Jewelers; Lexington, Ky. (JAPAC board, JA board immediate past chairman);
Michael and Eva Greene, Wick & Greene, Asheville, N.C. (JA members); and
Brian Mann, David Mann Jewelers, Potomac, Md. (JA board).
Also in attendance were JA President and CEO David J. Bonaparte, Posnock, JA Executive Administration Manager Sharie Fogarty and Ret. U.S. Army Major Gen. Tim Haake and Fetzer of Haake Fetzer.
Both the House and the Senate will then have to reconcile the differences between their two bills and send it to the president for his, or her, signature.
Chris Fetzer of Haake Fetzer, the firm that leads JAPAC and JA legislative advocacy efforts in Washington, added that JA plans to continue to engage lawmakers in both chambers leading up to the November elections, in anticipation of the Senate’s floor consideration of the MFA during the lame-duck session.
He said that Senate passage of the MFA would increase pressure on the House to “afford sales tax fairness legislation long overdue consideration late this year as part of a larger legislative vehicle, and at a minimum, would position the broad coalition of industry and Congressional supporters to make passage of sales tax fairness legislation a Congressional priority in the next Congress.”
During their visit to Washington, members of the JAPAC delegation met with key supporters of legislation they say would level the playing field between online and brick-and-mortar businesses, including Reps. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), Mia Love (R-Utah), and Ted Poe (R-Texas), all cosponsors of the RTPA, and, on the Senate side, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who voted in favor of the measure when it passed in 2013.
They also talked with lawmakers about the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed changes to the Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries, emphasizing JA’s opposition to the use of the word “cultured” when describing lab-grown diamonds.
JA said that lawmakers, particularly Stivers, “expressed interest” in supporting the association’s position.
During the two days they spent in Washington, the JAPAC delegation also met with other members of Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), chairman of the House Rules Committee, and Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), chairman of the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee with jurisdiction over the cultured diamond issue.
The JA members on the trip were:
Brian Alter, Alter’s Gem Jewelry, Beaumont, Texas (JA member);
Jon Bridge, Ben Bridge Jeweler, Seattle (JAPAC Board);
Jenny Caro, Jewelry by Designs, Woodbridge, Va. (JAPAC board chair, JA board);
Jeff and Jim Corey, Day’s Jewelers; Waterville, Maine (JAPAC board vice chair);
Ronda Daily, Bremer’s Jewelry; Peoria, Ill. (JA member);
Bill Farmer Jr., Farmer’s Jewelers; Lexington, Ky. (JAPAC board, JA board immediate past chairman);
Michael and Eva Greene, Wick & Greene, Asheville, N.C. (JA members); and
Brian Mann, David Mann Jewelers, Potomac, Md. (JA board).
Also in attendance were JA President and CEO David J. Bonaparte, Posnock, JA Executive Administration Manager Sharie Fogarty and Ret. U.S. Army Major Gen. Tim Haake and Fetzer of Haake Fetzer.
More on Policies & Issues
The Latest
SourcingJul 23, 2026
De Beers’ Production Jumps 88 Percent in Q2 Production also was up in the first half of 2026 but is expected to “substantially” decrease in H2 as two key mines undergo maintenance.
CollectionsJul 23, 2026
Silvia Furmanovich’s New Collection Travels Back to the 1920s“Art Deco” fuses ancestral techniques, rare materials, and modern perspectives as a tribute to the optimism and curiosity of the movement.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
IndependentsJul 23, 2026
Sissy's Log Cabin Opens Casino StoreThe jeweler’s newest store is inside Arkansas’ Saracen Casino Resort.
Weekly QuizJul 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
WatchesJul 23, 2026
Movado Inks Licensing Deal With Kate Spade New YorkThe watch company will design, manufacture, and distribute Kate Spade New York watches.
CollectionsJul 22, 2026
Monica Rich Kosann’s High Jewelry Is FruitfulThe “Enchanted Garden” series features a cherry, lemon, and pear that each hold a little secret inside.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
IndependentsJul 22, 2026
Liljenquist Beckstead Opens Rolex New BoutiqueIt’s located in Tysons Galleria, an upscale shopping center in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
Events & AwardsJul 22, 2026
NY Now Returns in August Under New OwnershipThe show, recently acquired by Rockview Management Group, will be held at New York City’s Javits Center from Aug. 2-4.
ColumnistsJul 21, 2026
Sherry Smith: Shattering the Illusion of the ‘Either/Or’ Diamond MarketSmith offers retailers guidance on creating an environment where natural and lab-grown diamonds can both thrive.
Events & AwardsJul 21, 2026
Apollo Funds Completes Emerald AcquisitionFormer Emerald President and CEO Hervé Sedky has transitioned to the role of senior advisor.
CollectionsJul 21, 2026
Graff’s New Butterfly High Jewelry Brooches MetamorphosizeThe 12-piece capsule collection transforms from brooches to pendants.
SourcingJul 21, 2026
Anglo Reportedly Selects Gareth Penny’s Consortium as Top Bidder for De BeersA Botswana government official told lawmakers Anglo has selected The Global Diamond Consortium, an entity chaired by Penny, to buy De Beers.
CollectionsJul 20, 2026
Vhernier Transforms ‘Freccia’ Collection Into High JewelryThe collection from 2014 has been reinterpreted into high jewelry with its signature triangular-shaped elements.
MajorsJul 20, 2026
Krista Collins Walters Promoted to Publisher of InstoreShe will also take on the role of vice president of jewelry for SmartWork Media, a newly created position.
Events & AwardsJul 20, 2026
TJS Accepting Speaker Proposals for 2027 EventOrganizers are looking for presentations on topics like manufacturing, technology and research, bench work, gemstones, and sustainability.
CollectionsJul 17, 2026
HOWL Taps Shailene Woodley for ‘Home Sweet Home’ CampaignWoodley is seen in the campaign wearing our Piece of the Week, the “Frida” collar featuring 13 pieces of hand-carved Venetian glass.
SourcingJul 17, 2026
U.K. Woman Pays £5 for £15K Diamond Ring at Car Boot SaleA WeBuyVintage jewelry expert uncovered how much the flea market find was actually worth.
SourcingJul 17, 2026
Diamond Dealer Jeff Pancis Pens MemoirThe founder of natural colored diamond wholesaler Pancis Gems shares stories from his five decades in the industry.
Events & AwardsJul 17, 2026
Gem Awards Opens 2027 Nomination PeriodSubmissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.
EditorsJul 16, 2026
Q&A: Guzema’s Co-Owners On Its US Expansion, 10-Year AnniversaryValeriya Guzema and Mariana Lenha look back on the last decade and discuss the Ukrainian brand’s first U.S. store.
SourcingJul 16, 2026
Ekati to Close, Leaving Canada With One Diamond Mine The diamond mine, which opened nearly 30 years ago in Canada’s Northwest Territories, is expected to shut down by mid-August.
FinancialsJul 16, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Sales Soar for the Seventh Quarter in a RowJewelry sales for the company, which owns Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Vhernier, and Buccellati, rose 21 percent in the first quarter.
Events & AwardsJul 16, 2026
MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program Certifies First Advanced Apprentice GraduateThe graduate, Grace Barden, credited the program with helping her secure a job as a bench jeweler.
Events & AwardsJul 16, 2026
Jewelers of Louisiana to Host 80th ConventionThe event, scheduled for next month in New Orleans, will include dinner, a custom jewelry design contest, and education sessions.
SourcingJul 15, 2026
1,305-Carat Diamond Recovered from Mine in BotswanaThe yet-to-be named stone is the 10th diamond weighing more than 1,000 carats to come out of Lucara’s Karowe mine.
