Capital Roundup
May 1, 2010
| BILL NAME | SUMMARY OF BILL AND WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU | U.S. CHAMBER'S POSITION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEALTH CARE RECONCILIATION H.R. 4872 Health Care & Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 |
This bill imposes even greater taxes and fines than the larger health care legislation signed into law by President Obama. It increases the employer penalty for not providing insurance from $750 to $2,000 per employee, imposes a new 3.8% tax on investment income, and establishes new fees on select industries. The bill also includes a long-term hidden tax by deferring and expanding the “Cadillac” tax on high-cost health plans. | The Chamber opposed the reconciliation bill because, like the larger health care bill, it will increase costs and weaken the best features of the private, employer-based health care system. | Last Action Signed into law March 30, 2010. |
| FINANCIAL REGULATORY REFORM S. 3217 Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010 |
This wide-ranging bill would create a new independent consumer financial regultor that would reduce access to credit for businesses and consumers. It would also give labor unions and other narrow-interest shareholders the power to leverage their agendas at the expense of other shareholders through so-called proxy access provisions and would effectively create a permanent bailout fund for failing institutions. | The Chamber opposes this bill in its current form because it fails to strike the right balance between appropriate regulation and unnecessary restraints on capital formation and does not allow for innovation and competition in the capital markets, as well as reasonable risk taking. |
Last Action |
| ACCELERATING TAX OFFSETS H.R. 4850 American Job Creation and Investment Act |
Under current law, companies have nonexpiring alternative minimum tax (AMT) credits, which are prepayments of tax that off set future AMT liability. This bill would enable companies to accelerate the use of these credits to create and maintain U.S. jobs and stimulate new investment in American plants and equipment. | The Chamber supports this bill and believes that it could be included in broader legislation intended to spur economic growth and job creation. |
Last Action |
| TAX EXTENDERS H.R. 4213 American Workers, State and Business Relief Act of 2010 |
This bill would extend expired pro-growth tax provisions, including the research and experimentation(R&E) tax credit. It would also allow companies to accelerate the use of alternative minimum tax (AMT) credits to create and maintain U.S. jobs and stimulate new investment in American plants and equipment. The bill, however, would eliminate the tax credit for alternative fuel use and require a transaction to have an economic purpose other than reducing tax liability. | The Chamber supports provisions of the bill that would encourage job growth and economic recovery but opposes provisions to raise taxes on businesses. | Last Action Passed the Senate March 10, 2010. Next Step House Vote |
| PROTECTING THE CLEAN AIR ACT S.J. Res. 26 H.J. Res. 76 Congressional Review Act Joint Resolutions of Disapproval |
These resolutions would reject an EPA finding that greenhouse gases endanger human health and welfare and therefore should be regulated by the EPA under the auspices of the Clean Air Act (CAA). EPA said that it plans to use CAA to regulate all emitters, large and small. EPA regulation of greenhouse gases could impose federal permitting requirements on millions of businesses, restrict fuel choices and energy use, and require expensive installation of new equipment for businesses of all sizes, including small businesses. Th e resolutions would halt the EPA’s eff orts to expand the CAA beyond its intended boundaries. | The Chamber strongly supports both resolutions. The Chamber remains supportive of passing climate change legislation this year and believes that these resolutions will give Congress the time it needs to get this important issue right. |
Last Action Referred to House committee February 25, 2010. Next Step Committee Vote |
