Tax-exempt bonds

House leaders will have to overcome dissent from conservative lawmakers, who say the Senate version is too watered-down.

Squire Patton Boggs attorney Michael Cullers believes the 10th Amendment may pose an obstacle.

Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican, has penned a "Dear Colleague" letter asking lawmakers to publicly support tax-exempt municipal bonds.

Mesirow's George Barbar said the group's top legislative focus is preserving the municipal bond tax exemption.

Firms like Siebert Williams Shank and Huntington have begun stacking their benches with municipal finance talent amid tax exemption uncertainty.

"If you're an issuer, this is fly-in season," said Jarrod Loadholt, partner at Ice Miller LLP. "Don't hope someone else is going to solve this for you — they're not."

The Tax Policy Center examined which cities and states would be the most affected if Congress eliminates the tax exemption.

The BDA met last week ahead of the House Ways and Means launching talks on what the reconciliation tax package may include.

In 2017, the BDA hired a lobbying firm as Congress wrote a tax reform bill. This time, the group opted for a strategic communications firm.

A united Republican vote for the continuing resolution could indicate the GOP's ability to gather support for the more complex reconciliation bill.