Congress

U.S. Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) recently introduced legislation that would make permanent the enhanced tax incentives for conservation easements (including historic buildings) that are scheduled to expire at the end of 2013.

After months of stalemate on December 31 (US Senate) and January 1 (US House of Representatives) respectively, has passed HR 8, The American Taxpayer Relief Act, which addresses the tax provisions of the “fiscal cliff.” The legislation is expected to be signed into law by President Obama imminently. The legislation includes a number of tax extenders including extensions of most of the expiring “Bush-era” income tax rates, a permanent “patch” for the alternative minimum tax, and most notably for NH&RA members extensions of the New Markets Tax Credit and the fixed 9 percent rate for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit through 2013. The measure also postpones sequestration, automatic spending cuts to government spending that was set to occur in January, by two months to allow time for further negotiation.

NH&RA member firm, Nixon Peabody recent released an article detailing the potential threats of the looming sequestration cuts.

The Affordable Rental Housing A.C.T.I.O.N. (A Call to Invest in Our Neighborhoods) network has released a series of District Fact Sheets and Key Member Fact Sheets detailing the success of the program in every Congressional district.

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) recently re-introduced the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act of 2013 (S. 437), which would fully authorize the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) program and allocate $350 million in FY 2013.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently released a letter to Congressional leaders which detailed the calculations of the amounts and percentages by which various budgetary resources are required to be reduced due to sequestration, or the automatic $85 billion worth of across-the-board spending cuts in fiscal year (FY) 2013

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) and Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) recently announced the formation of eleven Tax Reform Working Groups. Each of the groups will review current law in its designated issue area and then identify, research and compile feedback related to the topic of the working group.

The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Housing Commission recently released its report recommending improvements to America’s federal housing programs. The recommendations propose scaling back the government role in the housing finance system and reforming housing assistance programs to better meet the needs of the most vulnerable households.

The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) recently released a report entitled “Estimated Cuts In Federal Housing Assistance and Community Development Programs Due to Sequestration”, which details the effects the potential across-the-board funding cuts for most federal programs (sequestration) could have on state housing programs.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan recently sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Appropriations Chari Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) about the effects sequestration could have on the families, individuals and communities that rely on HUD programs.

President Obama singed the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (H.R. 152) on January 29. H.R. 152, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a measure of 241-180 and the Senate by a margin of 62-36, was originally sponsored by House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and will provide an additional $50.5 billion for recovery and rebuilding activities for regions impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling today announced subcommittee assignments for the panel’s Republican members. Chairman Hensarling will serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees, as will former Chairman Spencer Bachus, who is serving as chairman emeritus in the 113th Congress.