Roundtable Weekly
Congressional Lame Duck Session May Include Tax Policies Impacting Real Estate
October 21, 2022

Capitol Dome Stormy weather

Lawmakers returning after the midterm elections for a lame duck session will work on a possible FY2023 “omnibus” budget package that may include tax policies of importance to commercial real estate. 

Omni First 

  • The first congressional priority will be a massive “omnibus” budget package that needs to pass by December 16—the deadline set by a Continuing Budget Resolution passed in September—to avoid a partial government shutdown. (Roundtable Weekly, Sept. 30)

  • Whether business tax relief—e.g. a delay in the pending phase-out of 100 percent bonus depreciation, tax extenders, or a fix to the business interest deductibility rules—will be attached to an omni package may depend on whether a bipartisan deal can be struck on child tax credit relief. (Politico, Oct. 6 and Tax Policy Center, Oct. 6)

Tax Extenders

Tax issues grid choice image

  • Certain provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) recently expired, including rules related to business interest deductibility. TCJA’s 100% bonus depreciation benefit starts phasing down at the end of this year. Other expired tax provisions include a temporary increase in allocations of low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs) to states.   

  • The Real Estate Roundtable has long supported well-designed, targeted tax incentives like the LIHTC that are aimed at boosting the construction and rehabilitation of badly needed affordable and workforce housing. (Roundtable 2022 Policy Agenda Tax Section)
     
  • House Republicans have made the permanent extension of the TCJA tax cuts a key element of their Commitment to America policy agenda. (Bloomberg, Sept. 23 and ABC News, Sept. 22) 

Packed Lame Duck 

Congress in session

  • A cascade of other national policy issues will vie for attention in the tightly packed lame duck agenda, including reauthorization of defense programs, hurricane relief, immigration, election reform, marriage equality and more. (Axios, Sept. 29)

  • House Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said that if the GOP controls the House in 2023, they will use raising the debt limit as leverage to force spending cuts—which could include cuts to Medicare and Social Security—and possibly limit funding to Ukraine. (PunchBowl, Oct. 18 and Bloomberg Law, Oct. 11) 

The House returns Nov. 9 and the Senate on Nov. 14.

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