AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES for AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES

Telecommunications TEC

Tracking proposed rules on net neutrality that could potentially allow companies to pay broadband providers for faster 'lanes' to deliver content to consumers.

Contacted: Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); SENATE; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Advocated against specific provisions in Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp's tax reform discussion draft that would impact the revenue streams of associations, including proposed changes to tax treatment of royalty income and certain qualified sponsorship payments. Advocated as part of a coalition in favor of retaining the deduction for charitable giving as part of any overhaul of the tax code. Advocated against IRS proposed rules to restrict political activity by 501(c)(4) tax-exempt groups, and potentially extend the same rules to trade associations and unions.

Contacted: Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); SENATE; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Copyright/Patent/Trademark CPT

Submitted comments on Department of Justice's decision to review consent decrees with ASCAP and BMI. Primary interest is in application of rules to associations and other event organizers who are responsible for licensing music used at the meetings, conferences and exhibitions they organize.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); SENATE; Justice, Dept of (DOJ)

Health Issues HCR

Continued to track implementation of The Affordable Care Act, including enrollment in federal and state health insurance exchanges and provisions impacting associations as employers.

Contacted: Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Communications Commission (FCC); SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ)

Postal POS

Tracked legislation to reform the U.S. Postal Service's business model, S. 1486 "The Postal Reform Act of 2014," with intent on preserving favorable postal rates for nonprofit mailers.

Contacted: Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); SENATE

Bills named: S. 1486 (113th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Advocated against restrictions on government employees attending mission-related outside conferences. Specifically worked on S. 1347, "The Conference Accountability Act of 2014," co-sponsored by Sens. Coburn and Heitkamp.

Contacted: Office of Management & Budget (OMB); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Bills named: S. 1347 (113th)

Insurance INS

Advocating as part of a coalition in favor of legislation to reauthorize the "Terrorism Risk Insurance Act," which expires at the end of 2014 (S. 2244/H.R. 508)

Contacted: Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Federal Communications Commission (FCC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); SENATE

Bills named: H.R. 508 (113th), S. 2244 (113th)

Travel/Tourism TOU

Advocated as part of a coalition in favor of policies that encourage international travel to U.S.-based meetings and conferences, including "the Travel Promotion, Enhancement and Modernization Act of 2014" introduced in the U.S. Senate (S. 2250) and House of Representatives (H.R. 4450).

Contacted: SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: S. 2250 (113th), H.R. 4450 (113th)