In the Catching Up on Capitol Hill, a KPMG TaxRadio 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.
March 31, 2022
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 06-2022 | This week Treasury issued a new set of tax proposals in its FY2023 Green Book. This year’s version builds on last year’s with some brand new and notable ideas. But what should we make of these new ideas? Are they on a path to enactment? This podcast breaks down what’s new, what’s notable, and what’s next. [21:25]
March 11, 2022
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 05-2022 | President Joe Biden’s first state of the union speech focused on the crisis in Ukraine. But he also spent what many thought was a surprising amount of time talking about Build Back Better and the tax agenda. This podcast unpacks what was said (and not said). [18:58]
February 18, 2022
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 04-2022 | With Build Back Better stalled for now and no other obvious tax vehicle moving this spring, will Congress deal with expired and expiring tax items? If they do, exactly when and how might an extenders bill develop? This podcast tries to answer the perennial questions on how Congress deals with tax extenders. [21:26]
February 3, 2022
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 03-2022 | The House and the Senate have competing bills designed to address the ongoing supply chain problem. The Senate already approved the United States Innovation and Competition Act and the House is nearing completion on the America COMPETES Act. Could these efforts be a vehicle to finally get a breakthrough in major tax legislation? Listen to learn more. [20:46]
January 21, 2022
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 02-2022 | This week President Joe Biden said he believed it may be necessary to break up the Build Back Better Act into smaller pieces and to move those pieces separately. But does that approach have its own separate sets of challenges? This episode discusses the pros and cons of the break-up strategy and what the implications might be for the tax components of Build Back Better. [31:10]
January 6, 2022
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 01-2022 | The year in the calendar has changed—so, will the years in the Build Back Better Act also change? It’s more complicated than you might think, with multiple years in play and combinations of taxpayer friendly and unfriendly provisions possibly pulling in opposite directions. This podcast tries to unwind the international aspects and domestic provisions of Build Back Better. [32:25]
December 17, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 27-2021 | Build Back Better negotiations in the Senate stalled this week, leaving the bill unfinished for 2021. So what does 2022 hold and should we be optimistic or pessimistic about the bill's chances? Join us as we discuss the political and practical implications of the tax bill carrying over into next year. [19:08]
December 2, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 26-2021 | The Build Back Better Act awaits action in the Senate. But the days left in 2021 are few and the competing legislative priorities are many. Is it now or never for the BBBA? And what would have to happen before the end of the year for the bill to end up on President Biden’s desk? This podcast addresses these questions and more. [22:09]
November 11, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 25-2021 | On Friday, November 5, the House conducted the longest vote in its history, approved the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and made procedural progress on the Build Back Better Act. What does that modest progress mean for chances for major tax legislation this year? On this podcast, learn about the drama in the House and what may come next. [27:01]
October 27, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 24-2021 | What are the consequences for taxpayers at home and abroad if Congress fails to pass a tax bill? This podcast discusses the likelihood of this scenario and examines what that could mean for 2022, the OECD BEPS 2.0 project, and items scheduled to phase in or to expire in the near future. [26:28]
October 14, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 23-2021 | It’s been a month since the tax aspects of the Build Back Better Act were released and now the legislative process in the House has gone quiet. Why, and what will it take to get the bill moving again? This podcast discusses where the Build Back Better Act is and where it might be going. [19:19]
October 1, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 22-2021 | In this podcast, John Gimigliano is joined by Manal Corwin, Danielle Rolfes, Jen Acuna, and Ron Dabrowski to discuss the two major tax changes happening simultaneously—the United States’ Build Back Better Act and the OECD’s BEPS 2.0 project. How and when are these projects going to move forward? And are they ultimately on a collision course? [48:19]
2021 podcast episodes
September 9, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 21-2021 | The tax agenda is important, but it’s not everything. Congress has more than a full plate of legislative action items for September, including a number of seemingly must-do items. This podcast outlines these other legislative priorities and how they might impact the tax agenda. [20:57]
August 31, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 20-2021 | The House has brokered a deal to approve the FY22 budget along with an agreement to vote on the bipartisan infrastructure deal by September 27th. That deal would appear to accelerate the timing for tax action in the House. This week's podcast unpacks the House deal and what that might mean for the 2021 tax agenda.[18:48]
August 19, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 19-2021 | The Senate approved reconciliation instructions that will govern the shape of the tax bill to come later this year. Those instructions tell us more about what can be expected when and if Congress assembles a tax bill this fall. This week's podcast breaks down the arithmetic of those reconciliation instructions and what that means for the 2021 legislative tax agenda. [25:07]
August 2, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 18-2021 | The Senate appears to have achieved the elusive—forging a bipartisan deal on infrastructure. But what does that mean for taxes? Specifically, is the Biden tax plan still in play or does the infrastructure bill change the dynamic? This podcast discusses whether the Senate deal changes the Biden tax plan dynamic a lot, a little, or not at all. [18:08]
July 21, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 17-2021 | Senate Democrats may have hashed out the broad outlines of what a budget reconciliation bill might look like. That bill is almost certainly where key components of the Biden tax plan would move. This podcast sorts through the many questions yet to be answered on how the tax legislative agenda may play out this year. [23:38]
July 2, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 16-2021 | With President Biden’s endorsement of a bipartisan deal on infrastructure, the questions remain the same—can a bipartisan deal happen? and if so, does it change the tax landscape? This podcast revisits these questions to see what such a deal might mean for taxes. [24:02]
June 16, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 15-2021 | The press is full of reports of bipartisan negotiations around an infrastructure package. These negotiations at least suggest the possibility of a smaller tax increase than the full Biden tax plan. Are these negotiations real? Where the might they lead? This podcast breaks down what these bipartisan talks might mean. [17:17]
May 25, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 14-2021 | The Biden Administration’s forthcoming budget will include a “Green Book”—a more detailed explanation of its tax proposals. How important is this Green Book to the tax legislation being contemplated by Congress? Listen to this podcast to learn more about the history of Green Book proposals becoming law, the relevance of this year’s version, effective dates and more. [14:24]
May 14, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 13-2021 | President Biden has proposed a substantial increase in the capital gains rate. Which leads to the oft-asked question of when? In short, we don’t yet know the answer to this important question. But this week, podcast regulars John Gimigliano, Carol Kulish, and Tom Stout try, exploring the options and policy considerations for different capital gains effective dates. [26:23]
April 29, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 12-2021 | President Biden is proposing to repeal the BEAT and to replace it with his SHIELD proposal. This change has major implications for tax reform discussions in the United States but also big implications for tax negotiations abroad. This podcast examines the many facets of BEAT repeal coupled with the development and enactment of SHIELD. [25:19]
April 16, 2021
Catching Up on Capitol Hill Episode 11-2021 | This podcast discusses the other side of the president’s Build Back Better equation, the $2.7 trillion American Jobs Plan, exploring the spending and tax items in the proposal and how they interact with the tax increases Biden has proposed in the Made in America Tax Plan. [23:51]
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]