Earlier today, PMEA submitted the following comments to the United States Bureau of Industry and Security related to the proposed tariffs on brass-wind musical instruments, parts, and accessories.

The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) respectfully submits these comments in opposition to the proposed Section 232 tariff action identified as Docket No. BIS–2026–0331; XRIN 0694–XC166, and urges the Bureau of Industry and Security to exclude brass-wind musical instruments and their parts and accessories from the proposed tariff framework.

PMEA represents music educators, students, families, and school music programs throughout Pennsylvania. Brass instruments—including trumpets, trombones, French horns, euphoniums, and tubas—are essential educational tools, not discretionary luxury purchases. Many students and families rely on school music programs for instrumental instruction, ensemble participation, and the academic, social, and personal benefits of arts education.

The proposed action would impose a 25% tariff on brass-wind musical instruments and certain parts and accessories. Those costs will be borne by students, parents and caregivers, school districts, music retailers, repair technicians, community ensembles, and music educators. For a family purchasing or renting a student instrument, even a modest increase can determine whether a child begins, continues, or leaves a school music program.

Participation in instrumental music depends on affordable access. Families obtain instruments through rentals, installment plans, used-instrument purchases, school inventories, or local music dealers. Increased costs for imported instruments, replacement parts, mouthpieces, valves, cases, and repair materials would affect every one of these pathways.

The consequences would fall most heavily on students from low-income households, students in rural communities with limited retail and repair options, and districts whose instrument inventories are already strained by limited budgets. For many students, school music is the only realistic opportunity to learn an instrument. Higher costs would restrict access for students whose families and schools have the fewest resources.

The proposed tariff would also create serious challenges for school districts that purchase instruments through public bids, quote processes, and cooperative purchasing contracts. Districts must plan purchases in advance, develop specifications, solicit bids or quotes, obtain school-board approval, and operate within fixed annual appropriations. Higher instrument prices could cause bids to exceed approved budgets, even when districts use competitive purchasing to secure the best value for taxpayers.

When bids exceed available funds, districts may purchase fewer instruments, delay replacement of aging or unplayable instruments, reduce school-owned inventory, defer repairs, or rebid purchases and seek additional approvals. A district planning to replace tubas, euphoniums, French horns, or trombones—often beyond the reach of individual families—may be forced to reduce or postpone an order. The result is fewer usable instruments and fewer opportunities to participate.

The inclusion of parts and accessories is especially concerning. Brass instruments require routine maintenance and repairs to remain playable. Higher costs for valves, slides, repair components, mouthpieces, cases, and other supplies may lead families and districts to postpone maintenance or retire instruments prematurely. This increases the burden on districts with limited inventories and disrupts student participation in class, rehearsals, performances, and assessments.

The proposal may reduce consumer choice without providing comparable alternatives. Students and educators need instruments ranging from beginner models to durable intermediate, specialized, and advanced instruments. A tariff that raises costs for instruments, parts, and accessories would harm families, schools, local music retailers, and repair shops that provide rentals, service, and support to school communities.

PMEA respectfully requests that the Bureau of Industry and Security remove brass-wind musical instruments and their related parts and accessories from the proposed tariff list. If the Department proceeds with tariff action involving copper-containing products, it should establish a clear exemption for educational musical instruments, parts, accessories, and repair components.

Increasing the cost of participation in instrumental music would burden consumers and public school districts while narrowing student access to the arts. We urge BIS to reject the proposed tariff treatment for brass-wind musical instruments and their necessary parts and accessories.

Respectfully submitted,

Pennsylvania Music Educators Association