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119-hr-2230119th CongressWALLET

Independent Programmers Tax Incentive Act

Sponsored By: Representative Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]

Introduced

Summary

Creates a tax credit for multichannel and virtual multichannel video distributors that add or expand carriage of small, U.S.-based independent programmers. It would also require the FCC to produce a biennial report and allow limited IRS-to-FCC tax data sharing to support that reporting.

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  • Eligible distributors: MVPDs and vMVPDs would get a nonrefundable credit per qualifying carriage agreement. The credit equals the lesser of net license fees paid or $0.10 times the average monthly subscribers under the agreement, and yearly credits per distributor cannot exceed $0.30 times average monthly subscribers, with no double tax benefit for the same amounts.
  • Independent programmers: Qualified U.S.-based, nonpublic producers could gain new or expanded carriage when an agreement serves at least 40% of a distributor's subscribers and the license fees are net positive for the programmer.
  • FCC reporting and tax data sharing: The FCC must report to Congress within 180 days and then every two years on counts and durations of such carriage. The IRS may share return information about taxpayers claiming the credit with FCC staff for those reports, but reports cannot include taxpayer-identifiable return information.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Tax credit for carrying independent channels

This bill would create a nonrefundable business tax credit for TV distributors that add or expand independent channels. For each deal, the credit would be the smaller of net license fees or $0.10 times that deal’s average monthly subscribers. Each year, a distributor’s total credit would be capped at $0.30 times its average monthly subscribers. To qualify, the deal must cover at least 40% of the distributor’s subscribers and pay a license fee to a U.S.-based independent programmer with no 5%+ prohibited owners; it could not be publicly traded, a network (15+ weekly hours to 25+ affiliates in 10+ states), or a station company (>3% national reach). Distributors would not also be able to deduct amounts claimed as this credit; it would be part of the general business credit and would apply to expenses after enactment.

Limited tax data sharing with FCC

Treasury could share limited tax return data with the FCC for taxpayers who claim this credit. The FCC could use the data only to prepare required biennial reports. Reports could not include information that identifies any taxpayer. Sharing would require a written request from the FCC.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]

FL • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Harshbarger, Diana [R-TN-1]

    TN • R

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]

    GA • R

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Gimenez, Carlos A. [R-FL-28]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]

    CA • R

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 3/24/2025

  • Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 3/24/2025

  • Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 3/25/2025

  • Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 5/6/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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