Sen. Adam Schiff is shocked that he’s found something to “strongly” agree with President Donald Trump on – the film tax credit.
In a conversation with CNN’s Elex Michaelson, the California Senator touched on his recent social media post where he said he was in “strong agreement” with Trump on his support of the federal film tax credit.
“I’ve never used those words before, but look, when I took this office I said I’m going to try to do two things that are going to be in tension with each other,” Schiff said. “I’m going to try to get things done, and I’m going to try to fight any corruption, any attack on our democracy.”
“Well, this is something we can get done. And just because it’s this president, if it’s a good idea, I’m not going to oppose it,” he continued. “In fact, I fully support this. As you know, I’ve been working for a federal tax credit for the film and television industry to bring these jobs back to California. And now I think we are very close to making that happen.”
A couple weeks back, Trump took to his own social media to urge Congress for policy changes to stem the tide against production flight to other major international hubs like the United Kingdom and Canada. This came after a meeting the president had with actor and Hollywood Ambassador Jon Voight.
“Hollywood is a Complete and Total Disaster! Despite the name, it is getting very little work. There is no incentive to be there, and it is hurting California very badly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He added: “Meetings are being set up with the Leaders of both Parties in order to get this done. It should be Bipartisan, especially since so much money is being lost in California, and other largely Blue States. I am going to suggest that Republicans and Democrats get together, and immediately craft Legislation to save the Movie, Television, and Entertainment Business in America. Congress should approve, immediately, a Federal Production Incentive to create Entertainment Jobs in America.”
Sen. Schiff is not the only person backing Trump’s push to light a fire under Congress over the tax credit. IATSE also applauded the president’s endorsement, with the labor group, noting it is “encouraged to see growing support for a policy the union has championed for years.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also called Trump’s call for a federal production tax incentive “a positive step forward.”
As TheWrap reported earlier this summer, entertainment industry lobbyists such as the Motion Picture Association and the Entertainment Union Coalition have spent months meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to build bipartisan support for a federal tax incentive, which would stack on top of the incentives offered by dozens of states and would make those states truly competitive against other countries.
