In the Catching Up on Capitol Hill podcast series, you'll hear from KPMG professionals about current developments in Washington and what may happen next. And we'll discuss why it's happening. All with the goal of helping you to make sense of tax policy discussions, understand what the impacts may be on your organization, and aid you as you go about your daily job.
Have a question about one of our podcasts? feedback on the Catching Up on Capitol Hill series? topic idea for a future podcast? We want to hear from you.
April 8, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 10-2021 | What a week it’s been on taxes in Washington. The White House, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the Secretary of Treasury, and even the Senate Parliamentarian dropped bombshells. In this episode, two of these developments are explored: Senate Finance Chair Wyden’s framework on international tax and the Senate Parliamentarian’s ruling on budget reconciliation. [19:07]
April 2, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 09-2021 | This week President Joe Biden released an outline of his long anticipated $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan, and he proposed paying for the plan with corporate tax increases. This podcast breaks down what was expected, what surprised, and what comes next.
March 22, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 08-2021 | Last week, the Catching Up on Capitol Hill team discussed what the recently enacted Rescue legislation might tell us about the forthcoming Recover package. This week's podcast looks back further, to the TCJA, for precedents or trends that might shape tax legislation this year. [20:35]
March 12, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 07-2021 | This week President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion “Rescue” legislation. This now frees Congress to begin work on the next bill, the “Recover” legislation. What can be learned from the Rescue bill effort and how may it inform the development of Recover later this year? [18:04]
March 3, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 06-2021 | The House has approved the first step of “Rescue” legislation as proposed by President Biden, but not without one last tax surprise. Now, the legislation moves on to the Senate where more changes await. This podcast outlines what happened last week in the House and what might happen in the days and weeks to come in the Senate. [14:19]
February 18, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 05-2021 | This Catching Up on Capitol Hill podcast focuses on the proposal in the Biden tax plan to create a 10 percent tax penalty on companies that move jobs out of the United States. Learn how it would work and when we might get more details on the proposal. [19:19]
February 9, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 04-2021 | This week House Democrats introduced “Rescue” legislation as step one in President Biden’s two-step 2021 agenda (with step two—“Recovery”—to follow). The proposal contains several familiar, and a few unfamiliar, tax proposals. Listen to this podcast for a break down what’s in the legislation, what’s not, and where it goes from here. [16:31]
February 1, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 03-2021 | Both Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen and Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy Mark Mazur made comments in recent weeks that might suggest Biden’s proposed tax increases could come later, not sooner. But is there more here than meets the eye? This podcast breaks down these comments to see what we might learn about timing for Congressional action on Biden's proposals. [16:04]
January 21, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 02-2021 | With Joe Biden’s inauguration now complete, where do we go from here? Last week, Joe Biden outlined his “Rescue” and his “Recover” plans along with his intention to move both measures quickly. This podcast outlines what is in those two plans and how (and how quickly) they might become law. [24:45]
January 8, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 01-2021 | With Democrats sweeping the Georgia Senate run-off elections, they will simultaneously control the House, the Senate, and the White House for the first time in ten years. Many legislative priorities have accumulated, so exactly where would a Democratically controlled Congress begin? This podcast discusses the legislative outlook for the first few months of 2021. [17:01]
2020 podcast episodes
December 22, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 27-2020 | Congress ended the year with a bang—a 5,500+ page bill that seemed to contain a little something for everyone. And tax was at the center, with COVID tax relief, expiring tax provisions, and new tax policies all finding their way into the package. This podcast reviews how the year-end bill came together, who won, who didn’t win, and what comes next. [19:21]
December 18, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 26-2020 | With Joe Biden scheduled to be sworn in on January 20, 2021, the transition of administrations is well underway. What does that mean for Treasury’s Office of Tax Policy? Is the outgoing team still hard at work? And how does the incoming team identify staffing needs and priority agenda items? This podcast sheds light on how the transition at Treasury may go. [18:19]
December 11, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 25-2020 | What if 2021 mixes a red Senate with a blue House – what might be on the then tax agenda in that scenario? This podcast looks whether a bipartisan tax legislation is possible, and what items could maybe move forward or be total nonstarters. Also, could the OECD’s ongoing negotiations on BEPS 2.0 be the key to unlocking something more profound? [17:17]
December 4, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 24-2020 | While the country watches the January 5 Georgia run-off elections for the two remaining Senate seats, other dates—including the January 3 swearing in of new Senators and the January 20 inauguration—may be relevant when examining who controls the Senate and what that means for governing. Listen to learn more about the possible implications. [12:13]
November 17, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 23-2020 | In light of prospective federal election results, the budget reconciliation procedure—allowing simple Senate majority versus a super majority to pass legislation—appears to be the most likely path to enact portions of the Biden tax plan in 2021 (assuming Democrats gain the Senate majority). This podcast explains the rules, process, and limitations of budget reconciliation. [15:10]
November 6, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 22-2020 | Two days after the U.S. elections, while it appears that the House will remain under Democratic control (with a smaller margin), it is still unclear who will control the White House and Senate and it may be some time before results will be confirmed. In this context, John Gimigliano talks with Carol Kulish and Jennifer Gray to explore the possible scenarios for 2021. [16:40]
November 2, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 21-2020 | John Gimigliano, Tom Stout, and Jen Acuna discuss what tax proposals might come first, later, or not at all following tomorrow's U.S. elections, if there is a change in administration or control of Congress, or not. The legislative calendar, procedural challenges, competing priorities, COVID-19, and the economy are all factors that will play a role. [22:33]
October 26, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 20-2020 | This year, like most all others, a series of tax provisions, known as “the extenders,” are scheduled to expire on December 31. This podcast highlights a few of these items, discusses why Congress seems to like temporary tax policy, and then examines the dynamics of getting them extended (including so-called “Zombies"—expired provisions that are brought back to life). [22:12]
October 14, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 19-2020 | With more than 7,700 pages of guidance on the TCJA already issued (and many more to come), could a change in Administration next year see much of that guidance overturned? John Gimigliano, Jen Acuna, and Tom Stout discuss how the Congressional Review Act, under narrow circumstances, could put TCJA guidance at risk. [22:36]
October 2, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 18-2020 | John Gimigliano, Jennifer Gray, and Carol Kulish discuss individual and business tax items that would likely make up a possible second-term Trump tax plan as well as the political and policy hurdles in getting those exacted. [20:00]
September 24, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 17-2020 | Candidate Biden has introduced a new tax proposals that are intended to incent job creation in the United States. John Gimigliano, Jen Acuna, and Tom Stout discuss the “carrot and stick” proposals for a 10 percent offshore tax penalty surcharge and a 10 percent “Made in America” tax credit. [14:35]
September 21, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 16-2020 | John Gimigliano discusses with Tom West (former tax legislative counsel at Treasury’s Office of Tax Policy) the Biden tax plan proposal to reinstate a corporate alternative minimum tax (AMT), how it differs from the AMT that was repealed under TCJA, and the tax policy implications of how an AMT would be implemented. [20:29]
September 4, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 15-2020 | It’s widely reported that Biden would “raise the GILTI rate” on foreign income. But is that really his plan, or is he looking at something closer to President Obama’s minimum tax proposal? Danielle Rolfes (who helped write the Obama tax plan while at Treasury), Jen Acuna (principal drafter of GILTI), and John Gimigliano to compare the approaches to taxing foreign income. [20:03]
September 3, 2020
Catching Up on Capital Hill Episode 14-2020 | John Gimigliano, Jennifer Gray, and Tom Stout continue to consider the Biden proposal to raise the capital gains tax rate. Specifically, they discuss taxpayer behavioral effects of an increase in the capital gains rate, including estate tax changes, and the possibility of a need for a mark-to-market regime to make Biden’s plan work. [16:48]
August 28, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 13-2020 | John Gimigliano, Jennifer Gray, and Tom Stout from the KPMG Federal Legislative & Regulatory Services group analyze Biden’s proposal to increase the capital gains rate to 39.6% for wealthy individuals, including the arguments both for and against taxing ordinary income and capital gains and dividends at the same rate. [14:31]
August 21, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 12-2020 | The Biden tax plan would restore the top rate on ordinary income to Obama-and-Clinton-era levels of 39.6%. Compared to other Biden tax proposals, this appears to be a relatively modest change. So, what does this mean for most taxpayers, and are there collateral considerations? John Gimigliano, Jennifer Acuna, and Tom Stout provide their insights. [16:51]
August 14, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 11-2020 | John Gimigliano, Jennifer Gray, and Carol Kulish from the Federal Legislative & Regulatory Services group of the KPMG Washington National Tax practice try to answer the question of how the recent executive actions from the administration might affect Congressional efforts to enact further COVID-19-relief legislation. [16:11]
August 7, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 10-2020 | The Biden tax plan would increase the corporate rate from 21 percent to 28 percent. But history suggests there’s more to consider in that proposal than just changing a rate in the tax code. John Gimigliano, Jen Acuna, and Tom Stout discuss the collateral effects, the potential timing, and possible effective dates of a rate change. [18:43]
July 29, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 09-2020 | The Senate has released its next COVID relief plan, the HEALS Act, which presents both interesting policy and procedural aspects. Carol Kulish and Jennifer Gray join John Gimigliano to discuss why HEALS looks the way it does and where it might be headed. [16:20]
July 20, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 08-2020 | John Gimigliano, Jennifer Acuna, and Tom Stout from the Federal Legislative & Regulatory Services group of the KPMG Washington National Tax practice continue the discussion of what to expect from Candidate Biden’s tax plan, its connection to the former Obama tax plan, and how tax plans have worked through the legislative process in the past. [13:55]
July 17, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 07-2020 | Candidate Biden has not yet released a formal tax plan. Will we see one and if not, why not? John Gimigliano, Jennifer Acuna, and Tom Stout from the Federal Legislative & Regulatory Services group of the KPMG Washington National Tax practice discuss the prospects for more detail from the Biden campaign and how influential presidential tax plans have been in the past. [12:58]
July 17, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 06-2020 | With a major ruling this week in favor of the taxpayer in the ongoing State Aid controversy with the European Commission, John Gimigliano, Jennifer Acuna, and Tom Stout from the Federal Legislative & Regulatory Services group of the KPMG Washington National Tax practice look at how the State Aid issue shaped the TCJA and how it might shape future tax legislation. [13:31]
July 8, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 05-2020 | There are growing calls eliminate the Senate supermajority vote for passage of legislation. How might such a change affect the future of tax? John Gimigliano, Jennifer Gray, and Carol Kulish from the Federal Legislative & Regulatory Services group of the KPMG Washington National Tax practice discuss the potential impact of eliminating the 60-vote filibuster in the Senate. [15:16]
June 23, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 04-2020 | John Gimigliano, Jennifer Acuna, and Tom Stout discuss the legislative implications of the United States' call to pause negotiations of the Pillar One discussions at the OECD on the project related to digital services taxes. [10:10]
June 18, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 03-2020 | John Gimigliano, Jennifer Acuna, and Carol Kulish discuss how the week's events—the jobs report and increasing national focus on racial inequality—may impact the timing of additional COVID-19 relief legislation. [11:00]
June 10, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill, Episode 02-2020 | John Gimigliano, Jennifer Acuna, and Tom Stout continue their discussion from Episode 01-2020 on COVID-19 relief legislation, focusing on the HEROES Act passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate's possible response. [13:25]
June 9, 2020
Catching Up on Capitol Hill, Episode 01-2020 | John Gimigliano, Jennifer Acuna, and Tom Stout from the Federal Legislative & Regulatory Services group of the KPMG Washington National Tax practice discuss whether, when, and how Congress might enact additional COVID-19 relief legislation. [14:51]