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2022 News
Republicans Applaud 2 Percent Cut to IRS Funding
Republican lawmakers are celebrating a $275 million reduction in the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) annual appropriations in the omnibus spending package that Congress will consider this week. The omnibus package includes all 12 annual appropriations bills Congress must pass and would fund the government through the remainder of fiscal 2023, Read more
Family & Business Tax Breaks Not Included in Spending Deal
Democratic and Republican lawmakers were negotiating a deal to include tax breaks for businesses in the omnibus spending bill this week in exchange for renewal of expanded child tax credits, but the deal ultimately did not get done. Congress passed an expanded child tax credit in 2021 that included $3,000 Read more
Legislation to Bolster Retirement Savings Included in Omnibus
A bipartisan group of lawmakers are celebrating the inclusion of landmark retirement savings legislation in the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill that Congress will seek to pass before the end of the week. The retirement savings package, dubbed the SECURE Act 2.0, is the consolidation of three different bills worked Read more
Congress Unveils $1.7T Omnibus Spending Bill
Democratic and Republican negotiators on Tuesday released a $1.7 trillion bill to fund the federal government through most of 2023, and will need to pass it through both chambers by Friday to avert a potential shutdown. The massive omnibus bill is more than 4,000 pages long and would boost defense Read more
Save the Date: American Associations Day 2023
Mark your calendars to join ASAE in-person on Monday, March 27 – Tuesday, March 28 in Washington, DC for 2023 American Associations Day - ASAE's annual legislative fly-in. Registration includes two days of policy education, advocacy and networking. American Associations Day is also a terrific opportunity to network with peers Read more
Senate Democrats Plan to Swiftly Confirm Werfel at IRS
Sen. Raphael Warnock’s (D-GA) win in Georgia’s runoff election earlier this week will give Senate Democrats more leverage to pursue a number of priorities, including confirming Daniel Werfel to serve as the next commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Senate Democrats’ 51-seat majority in the 118th Congress gives Democrats Read more
ASAE Releases Decision-Making Framework for Event Locations
Last month, ASAE released a framework developed to inform ASAE Board decisions when state and/or local policies or legislation exist that are counter to ASAE’s organizational values in a destination hosting an ASAE meeting or event. The framework, titled Event Location: Questions for Consideration, includes a series of questions the Read more
ASAE Joins Campaign to Reduce Visitor Visa Wait Times
ASAE is supporting a new campaign launched by U.S. Travel Association to address excessive wait times to receive a visitor visa to enter the United States. The “They Wait, We Lose” campaign is bringing attention to the millions of travelers who seek to visit the U.S. but confront 400-800 day Read more
Save the Date: American Associations Day 2023
Mark your calendars to join ASAE in-person on Monday, March 27 – Tuesday, March 28 in Washington, DC for American Associations Day - ASAE's annual legislative fly-in. Registration includes two days of policy education, advocacy and networking. American Associations Day is also a terrific opportunity to network with peers from Read more
Congress Faces Dec. 16 Funding Deadline
Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations committees continue to put together FY 2023 spending bills but, with the current CR expiring Dec. 16, another stopgap funding measure appears likely to avoid a government shutdown. Bipartisan negotiations on an omnibus FY 2023 spending package have been stalled for months, with Read more
Lame-Duck Debt Ceiling Deal Unlikely
The White House has largely conceded that a bipartisan debt ceiling hike is unlikely to happen during the lame-duck session that runs through late December, setting the stage for a highly partisan confrontation with the House GOP majority next year. Senior administration officials also say they don’t have the 50 Read more
FTC Proposes Trade Regulation Rule on Impersonation Scams
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking and request for public comment on government and business impersonation fraud that has impacted a broad range of industries, trade shows and events and has grown worse during the pandemic. The FTC blog titled, Pulling the mask off impersonation Read more
SECURE Act 2.0 Could Move in Lame Duck
Opportunities for bipartisan legislation are expected to be limited in the lame duck session of Congress, but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are optimistic about passing landmark workplace retirement legislation before the end of the year. Lawmakers are working to consolidate at last three different bills introduced this Read more
Biden to Nominate Werfel to Lead IRS
President Biden today announced he will nominate Daniel Werfel to serve as the next commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Werfel, who currently works at the Boston Consulting Group, has a long history of government service in the George W. Bush and Obama administrations and served as acting IRS Read more
Travel Industry Presses White House on U.S. Visa Delays
Leaders from the travel and events industry continue to press the Biden administration to address the long wait times for nonimmigrant visas to visit the United States that are hampering the economy. The U.S. Travel Association pointed out this week that Nov. 8 marked the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Read more
ASAE Urges IRS to Resolve ERTC Processing Delays
ASAE joined a broad coalition of associations and nonprofit organizations in a letter to the IRS Nov. 7 urging the agency to ensure that American businesses and nonprofits get timely access to the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) created by Congress during the pandemic. Along with the Paycheck Protection Program Read more
GDP Report Shows U.S. Economic Growth in Third Quarter
The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2.6 percent in the third quarter, registering its first increase in 2022 less than two weeks before the midterm elections. The report on gross domestic product, released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, reflected a narrowing trade deficit with American Read more
Democrats Continue to Press for End-Of-Year Tax Bill
A group of 51 Democratic lawmakers wrote to House leaders this week urging them to pass a year-end tax bill during the upcoming lame duck session that reinstates the enhanced Child Tax Credit. The New Democrat Coalition letter also calls for tax relief for research and development expenses for American Read more
MD Digital Ad Tax Struck Down
The nation’s first tax on digital advertising was struck down as unconstitutional by a Maryland judge on Oct. 17. Judge Alison Asti of Anne Arundel County Circuit Court said in a ruling that the Maryland law violates the Constitution’s prohibition on state interference with interstate commerce, as well as the Read more
GOP Lawmakers Continue to Question IRS Funding & Agenda
GOP lawmakers continue to signal that they will scrutinize the IRS’s funding and operational priorities should Republicans regain the House majority in the upcoming midterm elections. This week, Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), a candidate for the House Ways and Means Committee gavel if Republicans flip the house, brought up the Read more
Travel Industry Welcomes Bill to Reduce Visa Wait Times
Travel industry leaders are applauding the introduction of legislation last week to address the long wait times for nonimmigrant visas to visit the United States that are hampering the economy. Last week, Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Susie Lee (D-NV) introduced the bipartisan Visitor Visa Wait Time Reduction Act Read more
GOP Senators Want More IRS Spending Oversight
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, this week urged the Treasury Department to detail its plans for how the IRS will spend $80 billion in new funding it received through the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law this summer. Congressional Republicans have railed against the Read more
Congress Prepping for Busy Lame-Duck Session
Congressional leaders are preparing for a post-election lame-duck session that includes some politically volatile agenda items that could keep lawmakers in Washington past Christmas. Among the must-pass bills in the lame duck is a government spending measure that will carry the government through the next fiscal year. With just hours Read more
Year-End Tax Bill May Depend on Election Outcome
Business and charitable interests continue to press lawmakers on the need for a year-end tax bill following the November midterm elections. There are some “must-pass” priorities that Congress must address no matter the outcome of the elections, such as agreement on FY2023 government spending, but a year-end tax bill could Read more
Congress Poised to Approve Stopgap Funding Bill
Congress is expected to pass a short-term government funding bill this week though details of the package are still pending. While a government shutdown appears unlikely, Senate leaders are still working to build support for including energy permitting reforms in the continuing resolution to fund the government, likely into mid-December. Read more
House GOP Issues Governing Framework
House Republicans last Friday released a framework for governing should the party flip the House in the upcoming November elections. The framework includes few specific policy proposals but offers a glimpse of House Republicans’ priorities during the last two years of President Biden’s current administration. Dubbed the “Commitment to America,” Read more
Senate Republicans Block Consideration of DISCLOSE Act
Senate Republicans last week blocked consideration of the DISCLOSE Act, which would require Super PACs and 501(c)(4) nonprofit political groups to disclose donors of $10,000 or more during an election cycle. In a procedural vote last Thursday, the Senate failed to advance the bill on a 49-49 vote. Congressional Democrats Read more
ASAE Celebrates Power of Associations Tonight
ASAE is hosting a sold-out 23rd Annual Summit Awards Dinner tonight at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC, to celebrate and promote the invaluable contributions that associations make to America and the world. Six associations will be recognized this evening with a 2022 Summit Award, ASAE’s highest honor for Read more
ASAE’s GRAPAC Webinar to Focus on State Advocacy for 2023
There’s still time to register for ASAE’s Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Advisory Council (GRAPAC) webinar Sept. 21 from noon to 1 pm ET on “State Government Relations and Advocacy: Getting Ready for 2023.” All 50 state legislatures will be in session in 2023, and a panel of state government Read more
White House Brokers Deal to Avert National Rail Strike
President Biden this morning announced a tentative agreement between rail carriers and union leaders, which would keep freight trains running and prevent a major disruption to the nation’s supply chains. The White House helped broker the deal which will likely avert a national rail strike that could have had significant Read more
Congress Intent on Passing Stopgap Government Funding Bill
House and Senate leaders are working to pass a short-term funding patch to keep government agencies open past Sept. 30, when current funding expires. While a government shutdown appears unlikely, Senate leaders are still working to build support for including energy permitting reforms in the continuing resolution to fund the Read more
ASAE Submits Statement for Senate Banking Hearing on Insurance
ASAE submitted a written statement for a Senate Banking Committee hearing last week, urging Congress to establish a public-private pandemic risk insurance program. The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on Sept. 8 was on “Current Issues in Insurance,” and the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act (PRIA) endorsed by Read more
ASAE’s GRAPAC Webinar to Focus on State Advocacy for 2023
ASAE’s Government Relations and Advocacy Professionals Advisory Council (GRAPAC) will hold a free webinar Sept. 21 from noon to 1 pm ET on “State Government Relations and Advocacy: Getting Ready for 2023.” All 50 state legislatures will be in session in 2023, and a panel of state government relations and Read more
Travel Industry Continues Recovery, Despite Cooling Economy
Travel spending exceeded 2019 spending levels for the fourth consecutive month in July, and modest growth is expected to continue as inflation drops and the labor market remains strong, according to U.S. Travel Association research. Inflation and a cooling economy are still concerns for the travel industry, which is still Read more
Congress Closing In on Short-Term Government Funding Bill
Congress has just weeks to pass a short-term funding patch to keep government agencies open past Sept. 30, when current funding expires. Democratic and Republican leaders are downplaying the possibility of a government shutdown, but a bipartisan bill could be problematic if it includes certain energy permitting provisions tied to Read more
Help ASAE Communicate the Power of Associations
ASAE is gathering signatures for a Power of Associations community sign-on letter that will be shared with members of Congress and state legislators to foster a better understanding of how associations benefit society and inform policymaking. The sign-on letter was rolled out during ASAE’s 2022 Annual Meeting & Exposition in Read more
ASAE’s Professional Certification Coalition Enters Year Five
The Professional Certification Coalition (PCC) charged into its fifth year advocating for public policies that promote certification programs, certified professionals and all who rely on the expertise and experience demonstrated only through professional certification. PCC members include organizations that issue professional certifications, associations for workers who hold certifications and companies Read more
Nonprofits Continue to Press for ERTC Restoration
Business and nonprofit leaders continue to meet with lawmakers to urge support for a retroactive extension of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) for the fourth quarter of 2021 in year-end tax legislation. ASAE is part of a large and diverse coalition of associations and nonprofit organizations supporting the Employee Read more
Appropriators Not Close on Government Funding for FY23
Government funding expires at the end of September and congressional appropriators are not particularly close to passing appropriations bills for fiscal year 2023. While House Appropriations Committee Democrats are working to schedule floor votes on some of the 12 annual spending bills in July, the Senate Appropriations Committee has been Read more
IRS Boosts Standard Mileage Rate for Rest of 2022
With gas prices still soaring, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced an increase in the optional standard mileage rate for the final six months of 2022. Taxpayers can use the optional standard mileage rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business and certain other purposes. Read more
DOL Overtime Rule Expected in Fall
The Department of Labor (DOL) is expected to issue a new rule on overtime pay exemptions this fall that is likely to expand the pool of American workers eligible for overtime pay. The overtime rule sets a salary threshold used to determine which employees are eligible to receive overtime pay Read more
U.S. Travel Forecast Projects Short-Term Surge
Despite rising inflation, domestic leisure and business travel is projected to surge in the short term due to pent-up demand and consumer savings, according to U.S. Travel Association’s biannual forecast for travel through 2026. U.S. Travel estimates that $1.05 trillion will be spent on travel in the U.S. in 2022, Read more
ASAE Joins ECA in Supporting Role of Business Events
ASAE is participating in a week-long legislative action program this week organized by the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) to educate Congress on the vital role that face-to-face meetings and conferences play in expanding economies and helping communities in the U.S. recover from the devasting economic and employment impacts of Read more
Charitable Giving Remained Strong in 2021, Report Says
Charitable giving in the U.S. reached a record $485 billion in 2021, though giving is not keeping pace with inflation, according to a report released this week by Giving USA. The Giving USA report says donations in 2021 were 4 percent higher than in 2020, but down 0.7 percent when Read more
Senate Finance Advances Retirement Package
The Senate Finance Committee advanced bipartisan retirement legislation this week, leaving lawmakers optimistic about getting a final bill through Congress this year. Senate Finance passed the Enhancing American Retirement Now (EARN) Act by a 28-0 vote. The EARN Act builds on the SECURE Act of 2019 by incentivizing more small Read more
IRS Issues Five-Year Strategic Plan
The IRS recently released a new five-year strategic plan that outlines its goals to improve taxpayer service and tax administration. The strategic plan will serve as a roadmap for the agency’s operations as it works to achieve its revenue collection and enforcement priorities. “Through the strategic plan, we want to share our Read more
Senate HELP Leaders Draft Retirement Savings Bill
Senate Health Education Labor & Pensions Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC) released a discussion draft yesterday of legislation to boost retirement savings. The draft would allow employers to offer pension-linked emergency savings accounts and allow retirement plans used by nonprofit organizations to participate in Read more
Travel Industry Testifies on Bills to Aid Recovery
The U.S. Travel Association testified this week before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee in support of two bills the travel industry believes are critical to ensuring the nation’s long-term competitiveness in the global travel market. The Visit America Act (H.R. 6965) would establish an Assistant Secretary for Travel and Read more
ASAE-USAE Travel Scholarship Open to Eligible Applicants
Association professionals who want to attend the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition but have limited organizational resources can now apply for the ASAE-USAE Travel Scholarship to offset their costs. The ASAE-USAE Travel Scholarship awards three scholarships annually to support a diverse pool of ASAE members who are committed to advancing Read more
House Passes Bipartisan SECURE Act 2.0
The House overwhelmingly passed legislation Tuesday night to bolster retirement savings opportunities for workers, sending the bill on to the Senate. The legislation (H.R. 2954), called the “Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022” or “SECURE Act 2.0,” builds on the 2019 SECURE Act by further incentivizing Americans to save Read more
ASAE Kicks Off American Associations Day 2022
More than 100 association professionals will visit with legislators and their staff during American Associations Day, March 31-April 1, to demonstrate the power of associations and the community’s unique role in solving complex societal challenges and providing significant contributions to the U.S. economy. Association advocates will express the need for Read more
ASAE Testifies at House Roundtable on Pandemic Risk
On February 23, Republicans on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance, held a virtual roundtable on the future of pandemic risk. ASAE’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy Mary Kate Cunningham, CAE, testified on behalf of ASAE at the event. Read more
ASAE Applauds Bill to Restore ERTC
ASAE and a coalition of more than 70 associations and nonprofits applauded the introduction of legislation last week to restore the employee retention tax credit (ERTC) for the last three months of 2021. The ERTC was created by the CARES Act in 2020 to help companies and nonprofit organizations keep Read more
Travel Industry Asks for Federal Aid
More than 600 travel industry organizations, including ASAE, signed on to a letter urging lawmakers to take action on near-term federal policies to restore and grow the U.S. travel industry. The letter, organized by the U.S. Travel Association, points out that the COVID-19 pandemic has cost the travel industry over Read more
