A deal to end the record 41-day government shutdown has passed the U.S. Senate and now moves to the House of Representatives for a final vote.
For beverage alcohol suppliers, this is a pivotal step toward reopening the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Upon full passage, the TTB will resume processing the frozen COLA applications, formula approvals, and permits that have stalled new product launches.
The Small Business Administration will also restart its loan programs, vital for craft producer expansion. While not yet final, this signals that the regulatory and financial pipelines essential to the industry will soon be flowing again, though a backlog is expected.