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President Joe Biden yesterday signed a $480 billion increase in the federal government’s debt limit to $28.9 trillion, narrowly avoiding an Oct. 18 national default deadline. The debt increase – passed by the Senate last week and the House on Tuesday – sets the stage for another fiscal cliff negotiation in less than two months, when both the debt limit and funding for the government run out on Dec. 3.

Real Estate Roundtable members on Oct. 5 engaged national lawmakers on compelling policy issues impacting commercial real estate, economic growth and job creation – including tax revenue proposals in the infrastructure reconciliation bill, the debt ceiling, housing, climate change and cybersecurity legislation – during The Roundtable’s 2021 Fall Meeting.

Intense negotiations among moderate and progressive Democrats on the scope and cost of the $3.5 trillion “human” infrastructure package continued this week, delaying a vote yesterday on the $1 trillion bipartisan “physical” infrastructure bill. House progressives have insisted they will not vote for the bipartisan bill until Senate centrists commit to support a multitrillion-dollar social benefits package.

The Real Estate Roundtable and 22 other national real estate organizations wrote today to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden expressing significant concerns regarding his draft legislation to overhaul partnership tax rules. The letter was sent after congressional leaders and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen yesterday announced they had agreed on a framework for moving forward with human infrastructure legislation, which includes a list of tax issues for discussion and potential inclusion in a final reconciliation bill. Additionally, the House Budget Committee announced it would “mark up” the combined $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill tomorrow.

The House Ways and Means Committee voted to advance legislation that would expand benefits for low-income families, invest in affordable housing and other Democratic priorities, and finance the initiatives with a $2.1 trillion tax increase that primarily falls on high-income individuals, pass-through businesses, and corporations. The legislation excludes several tax proposals put forward by the Biden administration and Senate lawmakers that would increase the tax burden on real estate.

House Democrats this week advanced 13 committee bills – including positive measures affecting commercial real estate – that will be assembled into a massive $3.5 trillion “human” infrastructure package for policymakers to consider as soon as this month. (See other Roundtable Weekly stories for details on tax, energy and transportation legislation).

The Real Estate Roundtable this week commemorated the 20th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks by recognizing the enduring, positive impact of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) and holding a joint meeting of the organization’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) and Risk Management Working Group (RMWG).