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

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 American manufacturers, retailers, distributors and the global supply chains they depend on. American students and musicians generate significant demand for music products — demand that the domestic market alone cannot meet. The global supply chains that fulfill that demand have developed organically over decades and do not reflect the unfair trade practices these investigations were designed to target. Section 301 Investigations — Where Things Stand Excess Capacity: NAMM submitted written comments (April 14), testified before the USTR Section 301 Committee (May 8) and submitted post-hearing

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

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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Music Advocates Head to Capitol Hill: NAMM's 20th Annual D.C. Fly-In

March 31, 2026 For two decades, music industry leaders and education champions have made the journey to Washington, D.C., to do something deceptively simple: talk with their elected representatives. This May, that tradition continues when NAMM convenes its 20th Annual D.C. Fly-In, bringing together delegates from across the country for four days of training, community and action. Scheduled for May 10-14, the Fly-In marks a milestone anniversary for one of the music industry's most distinctive advocacy traditions. What began as a modest gathering of industry voices has grown into

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namm policy words in front of u.s. capitol building at sunset

An Important Update Regarding NAMM Policy and Advocacy Efforts

March 16, 2026 We know you are following the news and wondering how policies and global conflicts are impacting our industry. Our NAMM policy team, led by Claire Kreger-Boaz and in constant consultation with our long-time lobby partner Nelson Mullins, has been hard at work! We are monitoring, educating, consulting, and taking action on issues ranging from education policy to tariffs. As we look toward our annual D.C. Fly-In event in May, we want to update you on our activities and recent strategic meetings in Washington, D.C., involving members of Congress and their staff. The 20t

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