Democratic Sweep Clouds the Federal Film Tax Credit's Lame-Duck Path
Summary
Three Republican cosponsors of the bill lost their seats, though its lead lobbyist insists Tuesday's results change little.
"Democrats will control both chambers of Congress from January, and Deadline reported Wednesday that insiders are split on what that means for the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act (MPTERA), the first proposed federal production tax credit. Backers had hoped to attach the bill, introduced in September by Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), to the year-end budget package due by December 11.
Cosponsors Brian Jack (R-GA), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Laura Friedman (D-CA) were re-elected, but Republicans Mike Carey of Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa lost their races. One insider told Deadline the outcome ""makes it harder"" for relief to reach Hollywood and that a federal incentive would rank ""probably pretty low"" on the new Congress's agenda. Producer and lobbyist Scott Budnick, CEO of 1Community, argued the midterms have little effect on passage.
Deadline laid out four paths: passage in the lame duck if bipartisan support holds; erosion if President Trump, who endorsed the bill in August, shifts focus; a January rewrite by Democrats with enough votes to pass it alone; or delay behind priorities such as health care and the economy. Friedman has argued the U.S. trails 65 countries that outbid it for production. Sen. Adam Schiff, an early backer of a national incentive, could gain influence if he takes a leadership role."
