How K Street priorities fared in the tax package

Politico

13-05-2025

With help from Daniel Lippman
WHAT'S IN THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL: The marathon process lovingly referred to on K Street as the 'Super Bowl of tax' formally kicked off last night as House GOP tax writers unveiled their long-anticipated bill to extend President Donald Trump's 2017 tax cuts. And this afternoon began the markup, which is expected to turn into an all-nighter.
— Our intrepid Congress team is on top of all the action — keep up with all the twists and turns on our Inside Congress blog — but PI also wanted to highlight a few notable provisions here.
— Top business groups, predictably, have been cheering the tax package all day — despite the fact that the bill would only temporarily revive some of the business community's top priorities, like full write-offs on research and development expenses and full expensing of capital investments.
— Meanwhile, credit unions are breathing a sigh of relief after it appears they've staved off a threat to their tax-exempt status — for now, anyway. 'We have worked hard to show the impact credit unions have on their 142 million members and communities,' America's Credit Unions President Jim Nussle said in a statement, adding that 'we remain engaged with the committee as it considers amendments through the markup process to ensure no new tax is added on credit unions.'
— Ditto for the real estate, venture capital and private equity industries, which survived a last-minute push by Trump last week to eliminate the so-called carried interest loophole.
— Not feeling so great today are nonprofits, universities, the clean energy industry and billionaire sports team owners. The reconciliation bill would grant the Treasury secretary new powers to revoke nonprofit organizations' tax-exempt status, and it would hike taxes on foundations with assets of more than $50 million.
— Colleges and universities with the largest endowments, meanwhile, would be hit with a massive tax hike under the GOP plan. Schools with student-adjusted endowments of more than $2 million would see the tax rate on net investment income soar from the current rate of 1.4 percent to 21 percent, while schools with endowments between $1.25 million and $2 million would see their endowment tax raised to 14 percent.
— The House bill would also gut climate tax incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, which has already triggered pushback from Senate Republicans, and would slice the tax write off for owners of pro sports franchises in half.
— But another lobbying priority for sports leagues and the broader fitness industry managed to find its way into the reconciliation plan. It includes language that would allow people to use pre-tax health dollars on fitness-related expenses such as gym memberships and fees for youth sports leagues or other physical activities.
— The PHIT Act has been one of the top legislative priorities for the Health & Fitness Association, which held a fly-in to lobby for the measure last week. It also had the backing of the top major pro sports leagues, the golf industry, retailers including Nike, and trade groups representing athletic trainers, pediatric nurse practitioners, physical therapists and personal trainers. However, draft text released by tax writers is more narrow, and would not include spending on fitness equipment, one-on-one personal training or some online fitness classes.
— The reconciliation bill also includes the repeal of a 10 percent excise tax on indoor tanning services. Republicans and the tanning industry have sought to abolish the tax, which was introduced by the Affordable Care Act, arguing that it has forced small tanning salons out of business.
— That effort faltered in the GOP's 2017 tax bill as well as Republicans' failed attempt to repeal the ACA altogether, but earlier this year the American Suntanning Association brought on new outside lobbyists at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough to help get the repeal over the finish line, according to a disclosure filed last week.
Happy Tuesday and welcome to PI, where I hope you have your energy drink of choice handy. What else are you celebrating — or mobilizing against — in the reconciliation bill? You can add me on Signal, email me at [e-mail], and be sure to follow me on X: @caitlinoprysko.
MORE UNIVERSITIES ADDING LOBBYING HELP: The K Street hiring spree by higher education isn't slowing down, according to another batch of newly filed disclosures. Johns Hopkins University, which received more than $1 billion last year in NIH funding that's been targeted for cuts by the Trump administration, retained Miller Strategies' Jeff Miller and James Min back in March, according to a disclosure. They're the second new outside firm added by Johns Hopkins this year. The school hired HB Strategies last month to lobby on funding issues and the endowment tax.
— Meanwhile American University retained Holland & Knight in April to lobby on 'higher education related matters, policy and regulation,' according to a disclosure filing. It's the first time that AU, whose president signed a letter last month rebuking Trump's efforts to interfere on college campuses, has had federal lobbyists on its payroll since 2009.
LA LA LAND: 'So-called Hollywood ambassadors Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone joined with a coalition of entertainment industry groups for a letter delivered this week to President Trump urging him to support tax measures and a federal tax incentive that would help bring film and TV production back to the U.S.,' the Los Angeles Times' Samantha Masunaga reports.
— 'The letter is signed by Voight, Stallone, all the major Hollywood unions and trade groups such as the Motion Picture Assn., the Producers Guild of America and the Independent Film & Television Alliance, indicating widespread support from the entertainment industry.'
— ''Returning more production to the United States will require a national approach and broad-based policy solutions ... as well as longer term initiatives such as implementing a federal film and television tax incentive,' the letter states.' Notably, the groups' proposed tax changes does not include the 100 percent tariff on foreign movies threatened by Trump last week.
FLYING IN: The Independent Community Bankers of America is flying nearly a thousand community bankers into town this week to chat with policymakers about CFPB rules, tax relief and rural lending. They'll also hear from House Financial Services Chair French Hill (R-Ark.), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender.
— The American Hotel and Lodging Association is also flying in this week to reiterate the hospitality industry's top tax priorities. Those include making permanent the so-called 199A deduction for pass-through entities and protecting a provision in the tax code that allows real estate developers to avoid capital gains taxes when they exchange properties — both of which the House bill does.
WILD STORY FROM MAHA LAND: 'An internal battle has emerged inside the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement, with the CEO of a supplements company and a top adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leveling accusations against each other that include making threats of retribution, conflicts of interest and leaking false information to far-right activist Laura Loomer,' POLITICO's Daniel Barnes reports.
— 'At the center of the fight are Peter Gillooly, CEO of The Wellness Company, and Calley Means, who in addition to serving as an adviser to RFK Jr. is the co-founder of a health care payments company and the brother of Casey Means, who was recently nominated to be the next surgeon general.'
— 'In a formal complaint to the Office of the Special Counsel and other agencies filed Saturday and obtained by POLITICO, Gillooly accuses Calley Means of abusing his position at HHS and violating the law prohibiting conflict of interest in government services by threatening to involve Kennedy and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya in the dispute.' Means is currently designated as a special government employee, allowing him to serve in a temporary capacity without having to step away from his personal business.
— ''If one more thing happens, I'm going to go to Jay Bhattacharya and Bobby and tell him that you and your cadre of Peter McCullough and Kelly Victory are spreading lies and trying to fuck with him and hurt his administration,' Means said, naming two members of the company's medical board, in a recording of a Saturday morning call between him and Gillooly obtained by POLITICO. (The transcript of the call is quoted in the complaint.)'
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE: 'The largest firefighters' labor union in the U.S. is demanding antitrust authorities investigate the companies that make fire trucks, saying industry consolidation has led to skyrocketing costs and years-long wait times, endangering fire fighters and the public,' per Reuters' Jody Godoy.
— In a letter to DOJ antitrust chief Gail Slater and FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson today, the International Association of Fire Fighters called for a probe of three companies — REV Group, Oshkosh and Rosenbauer — that the union said make up two-thirds of the market for fire and emergency vehicles.
— 'Truck prices have doubled in the past decade, with ladder trucks now costing as much as $2 million each, while fire departments are facing backlogs as long as four years, said IAFF, which represents fire and emergency workers in the U.S. and Canada, and American Economic Liberties Project, an antimonopoly group.'
Jobs report
— Ben Napier is joining Andreessen Horowitz as a government affairs partner, where he'll lead engagement with House Republicans. He's spent the past nine years with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, most recently serving as floor director.
— Staci Pies is joining INCOMPAS as senior vice president of government affairs and policy. She was previously vice president of public policy at Crown Castle, and is a Google, Microsoft and FCC alum.
— Chase Adams is now senior vice president at Milne, Wiener & Shofe Global Strategies. He most recently was assistant vice president for the National Pork Producers Council.
— Holland & Knight has added former FERC Chair Willie Phillips and former FERC chief of staff and senior legal adviser Ronan Gulstone as partners in the public policy and regulation practice group.
— Jordan Goldberg is now policy director of the Reproductive Freedom Alliance. She most recently was director of policy at the Primary Care Development Corporation.
— Debra DeShong is now senior vice president at Invariant and head of its crisis communications and corporate risk practice. She most recently was head of corporate communications for Qcells and Hanwha USA and is a PhRMA alum.
— Kimberly Makrai is joining Impression Strategy. She was previously campaign manager for Florida State Rep. Dana Trabulsy.
— Thomas Aiello has rejoined the National Taxpayers Union as senior director of government affairs. He previously spent five years at NTU and most recently served as a director at the DCI Group.
— BGR Group has added Brendon Weiss as chief business officer. He's the co-founder and CEO of EscrowTab.
— TSG Advocates is adding Brian Darling, Beau Rothschild and Kaitlyn Roberts. Darling previously was at Navigators Global and Liberty Government Affairs. Rothschild previously was at Porter Wright Morris and Arthur. Roberts most recently was a corporate adviser at Aramco.
New Joint Fundraisers
Committee to Elect The Best (Sen. Jon Ossoff, Clarence for GA)
Uphold the Senate (Sens. Dan Sullivan, Steve Daines, Thom Tillis, True North PAC, Big Sky Opportunity PAC, Together Holding Our Majority PAC, NRSC)
New PACs
AE Industrial Partners PAC Inc. (PAC)
Icon Race Club LVE/Rider (PAC)
PaulJones4StateAssembly (Super PAC)
New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS
Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Advantage Silver Dental Arrest, LLC (Asda)
Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Dulcich, Inc. D/B/A Pacific Seafood Group
Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Glass Aviaition Holdings, Inc. (D/B/A Airspace Data)
Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Kaliroy Fresh, LLC
Alpine Group Partners, LLC.: Solana Policy Institute
Blank Rome Government Relations: Blank Rome LLP (On Behalf Of Carnival Corporation)
Brian Glackin & Associates LLC: Jones Walker LLP (On Behalf Of City Of West Memphis
Brian Glackin & Associates LLC: Maritime Tactical Systems (Martac)
Checkmate Government Relations: Alpek Polyester USa, LLC
Checkmate Government Relations: Baptist Health South Florida
Checkmate Government Relations: General Dynamics Land Systems Inc.
Checkmate Government Relations: Lion Copper And Gold Corp.
Checkmate Government Relations: National Shooting Sports Foundation Inc.
Checkmate Government Relations: Silver Bow Mining Corp
Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies: Parkway Garage, Inc.
Currentstrategic LLC: Technest Solutions S.L.A. Dba Fortris On Behalf Of Nexusone Consulting
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP: Greenwave Energy Partners, LLC
Hartwell Capitol Consulting: Williams Lpp
Holland & Knight LLP: American University
Holland & Knight LLP: Clark Street Associates On Behalf Of Pacific Fusion Corporation
Lobbyit.Com: 7Streams
Lobbyit.Com: Advocates For Wild Equines (Informal Coalition)
Lobbyit.Com: American Dental Hygienists Association
Lobbyit.Com: Auerbach International Inc.
Lobbyit.Com: Em Designs, LLC
Lobbyit.Com: Lea County, New Mexico
Lobbyit.Com: Vital Records Online
Lobbyit.Com: Wellness Ai
Milne, Wiener & Shofe Global Strategies (Fka M & W Government Affairs, LLC): National Pork Producers Council
Mo Strategies, Inc.: Forest County Potawatomi Community
Nestpoint Associates LLC: Live Comfortably LLC
Nestpoint Associates LLC: Soho Apparel Group Inc.
Nexusone Consulting: Technest Solutions S.L.A. Dba Fortris
Nordest Advisory LLC: Cbrain A/S
Steptoe LLP: Velico Medical Inc.
Tsg Advocates Dc, LLC: Guidewell Mutual Holding Corporation
New Lobbying Terminations
Cline Strategic Consulting, LLC: Ride Group LLC
Dentons US LLP: National Vote At Home Coalition