Steadfast Advocacy Remains Critical in a Difficult Congress

December 20, 2023

As 2023 comes to a close and we look ahead to the challenges facing commercial real estate in 2024, it is clear that persistent advocacy on the public policy front will be more important than ever to ensure that the interests of NAIOP members are protected. This is true of course at the state and local level, but it is at the federal level, where government gridlock has been most on display, that maintaining our strong advocacy will be critical.

Congress Fires Its Speaker

October 4, 2023

On Tuesday, Kevin McCarthy became the first speaker in the history of the United States to be removed from his office when eight Republicans, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, and all 208 Democrats present in the House voted to support the motion to vacate. The final vote was 216- 210.

No Guarantees for Year-end Tax Legislation

September 20, 2023

While fighting in Congress over spending bills is nothing new, the heated politics surrounding this year's federal government funding battle, and the resulting animosity if a government shutdown does materialize, could linger well beyond October and make reaching agreement on a tax bill all the more challenging.

A Full Fall Schedule Looms Over Congress’ Summer Break

August 2, 2023

August has arrived, which for Capitol Hill means that Congress is in recess until sometime in September. However, Congress left town last Friday with little agreement on a path forward for must-pass appropriations bills to keep the federal government operating past the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1.

GOP Tax Package is Just the Beginning

June 21, 2023

Last week, House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) kicked off what is expected to be months-long congressional negotiations over tax legislation.

Major Tax Increases Proposed in Biden’s 2024 Budget

March 15, 2023

President Joe Biden submitted his proposed fiscal year 2024 federal budget to Congress on March 9. It contains numerous tax increases that repeatedly failed to clear the House of Representatives and Senate even when these chambers were controlled by Democrats. But the president’s budget submission makes sense if you acknowledge that its primary purpose is as a political messaging document, meant to provide a contrast between his administration and Republicans in advance of the 2024 presidential election.

Return to the Hill: CL&LR 2023

January 18, 2023

In less than two weeks, NAIOP members and chapter local executives will be headed to Capitol Hill to meet with their elected representatives, senators and congressional staff. In so doing, they will be taking the opportunity to establish relationships with newly elected members of Congress; renew and deepen existing ties with incumbents; and talk to their elected officials about issues important to the commercial real estate industry.

What a Way for Congress to Start the Year

January 4, 2023

The spectacle put on by the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives in trying to choose a speaker this week clearly shows that nothing will be a sure thing in this Congress. Of course, we will continue advocating for the interests of the commercial real estate industry no matter what the political terrain may be in Congress.

After Surprise Midterms, Leadership Races and Lame Duck Begin

November 16, 2022

The 2022 midterm congressional elections certainly did not turn out as many had expected. With President Joe Biden’s approval ratings stuck in mid-40 percentile range, inflation being the top issue for the largest number of voters, and with the president’s party historically losing seats, the conventional wisdom was the Republicans would ride a red wave […]

Congress Recesses for the Midterms

October 5, 2022

Members of Congress, both the House and Senate, finally got the chance to do what they have been desperate to do for weeks: get out of Washington, D.C., and campaign full time for re-election. With the only must-pass legislation in September being a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government running past Sept. 30, most […]

Author:

Aquiles Suarez