Industry leaders convened with members of Congress and senior administration officials at this week's Spring Roundtable Meeting to address critical national policies impacting commercial real estate and the broader economy.

• The timely discussions focused on housing supply and affordability, tax policy, regulatory reform, workforce development, grid reliability, infrastructure resilience, tariffs and trade relations, and immigration reform.

 

(L-R): Roundtable Chair Kathleen McCarthy (Global Co-Head, Blackstone Real Estate) and Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer

• RER members underscored the importance of preserving vital tax provisions that incentivize investment and warned lawmakers that proposals to restrict the deductibility of state and local property taxes would cause self-inflicted injury to the U.S. economy, including unnecessary job losses and new, systemic risks to the banking system, pressure on rents for families and individuals, and other inflationary cost increases for American consumers.  (The Roundtable’s Spring 2025 Policy Priorities and Executive Summary)

Speakers & Policy Issues

Roundtable members engaged in policy issue discussions with the following guests:

• Jonathan Martin (Politics Bureau Chief and Senior Political Columnist, POLITICO) offered a candid look at the political landscape and forecasted a competitive 2028 election cycle amidst shifting congressional dynamics.

• The Honorable Scott Turner (Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)) emphasized HUD’s mission of service, focusing on reducing regulatory burdens, increasing housing supply through public-private partnerships, and extending Opportunity Zones.

• The Honorable Howard Lutnick (Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce) discussed tariffs and how President Trump is seeking to use trade policy to reignite domestic manufacturing, restore U.S. superiority in critical industries, and advance U.S. national security. 

• The Honorable Todd Young (R-IN) (Committees: Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Finance; Small Business and Entrepreneurship; Select Committee on Intelligence) focused on pro-growth tax policies, the need for reduce the deficit, and his initiatives aimed at housing supply and affordability.

• The Honorable Mark Kelly (D-AZ) (Committees: Joint Economic Committee; Armed Services; Environment & Public Works; and Select Committee on Intelligence)discussed the intersection of national security and technology, emphasizing the need for grid reliability, innovation, and bipartisan immigration reform to support economic and housing needs.

• The Honorable Bill Huizenga (R-MI) (Committees: Financial Services (Vice Chair); Foreign Affairs) shared his insights as Vice Chair on the House Financial Services Committee priorities, revitalizing community banking, affordable housing access, and insurance programs like the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA).

• The Honorable Jason Smith (R-MO) (Chairman, House Ways & Means Committee; Chairman, Joint Committee on Taxation) reinforced his commitment to advancing a comprehensive, pro-growth tax package by summer, highlighting the essential input provided by RER on key issues such as business SALT deductions, carried interest, and real estate's role in driving growth.

Next on The Roundtable's meeting calendar is the all-member Annual Meeting, which will include policy advisory committee meetings on May 28-29 in Washington, DC.