Sens. Scott, Schiff, and colleagues introduce legislation to revitalize film and television production in the U.S.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act today to bring entertainment productions back to the United States from foreign countries through federal tax incentives. Scott is joined by Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in introduction. Representative Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas-01) introduced companion legislation in the House, joined by Representatives Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.-38), Brian Jack (R-Ga.-03), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.-30), David Kustoff (R-Tenn.-08), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Mike Carey (R-Ohio-15), and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.-03).

Following President Trump's call for Congress to establish a federal production incentive to bring entertainment jobs and production back to America, this bill would establish a 20% base tax credit for qualifying film, television, and visual effects (VFX) projects that are produced in the United States.

"Having worked in a movie theater growing up, I saw early on how films can move and inspire generations of Americans. Films like 'The Notebook' bring us to tears, and films like 'Forrest Gump' inspire us to see the world differently. That is the power of film, and South Carolina is blessed to serve as the backdrop for both of these iconic American stories," said Sen. Scott. "We cannot stand by as more and more American film production moves overseas, taking jobs, investment, and an important source of American cultural influence with it. This legislation will create jobs in communities across America, support local economies, and help ensure that the next generation of iconic American films is made right here in America."

"For years, I've been championing a federal film tax credit to stop the exodus of tv and film production leaving the United States for countries offering higher incentives. Now, we have the best opportunity in decades to get it done. The direct and indirect jobs created by this creative and talented workforce are enormously important, and we want to make sure they stay in this country. With the support of the White House, our bill will create an overdue federal program to bring the movie magic back to America while creating thousands of jobs and spurring local economic growth across the nation. This legislation has bipartisan, bicameral support, and it's time we get this passed," said Sen. Schiff.

"When a production comes to a community-from rural East Texas to urban New York-that money doesn't just benefit the production company. It helps the local caterer, the hardware store, the hoteliers, and every tradesman in between who makes film and television production possible. Those jobs are going overseas right now simply because other countries are offering bigger handouts. If we want to keep American storytelling in America, we have to level the playing field, and that's exactly what this bill does. This isn't about subsidizing Hollywood-it's about supporting the American worker, one story and one production at a time. I'm proud to work with Senator Scott and our bipartisan group in both chambers to get this done, and I'm grateful to Ambassador Jon Voight and Sean Astin for the work they've put into pushing this forward," said Rep. Moran.

The bill would also provide optional 5% bonus credits that could be stacked on top of the 20% base credit, with the total credit capped at 30%. Bonus credits could be received through:

• Production in rural Opportunity Zones or federally declared disaster zones
• Multi-state productions
• Production is completed by an independent producer
• Film companies that increase their number of domestic productions relative to their previous foreign investment

The tax credit would exclude live sporting events, sexually explicit material, marketing, daytime-drama shows, award event programming, social media posts, and other non-legacy media productions.

Background:

• Several states have established their own economic incentives, but the lack of a unified federal incentive has left the United States behind as productions leave for countries like Canada and the United Kingdom.
• South Carolina's film industry employs around 1,700 people in legacy production and more than 7,000 in the larger industry, which includes VFX projects.
• The entertainment industry has delivered more than $416 million in wages and $3.2 billion in economic impact in the Palmetto State.

Endorsed by: American Federation of Musicians, American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Coalition for American Production (CAP), CreativeFuture, Directors Guild of America (DGA), FilmUSA, Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Motion Picture Association (MPA), Paramount, Producers Guild of America (PGA), Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Teamsters, Television Academy, Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), and Writers Guild of America West (WGAW).

"I want to thank President Trump for bringing national attention to the urgent need for a federal film and television production tax credit and for calling on Congress to act," said Hollywood Ambassador Jon Voight. "I also want to thank Senators Tim Scott and Adam Schiff, along with Representatives Nathaniel Moran, Linda Sánchez, Brian Jack, Laura Friedman, Mike Carey, Judy Chu, David Kustoff, Tom Suozzi, and the growing list of supporters, for their work on this bipartisan effort to bring productions and jobs back to the United States. The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act will restore the American film and television industry, put crews back to work, support productions at all levels, and create economic opportunities in communities nationwide. All Americans want to bring our iconic film industry home, and we can do it by working together to get this important legislation passed quickly."

"SAG-AFTRA is proud to partner with our fellow unions, industry and policymakers in a bipartisan effort to rescue the domestic film and television business. The money is being invested, the productions are being made, the jobs are being created, just not in America. This is a jobs bill and that is exactly what our members want to see. We have the infrastructure. We have the crews. We have the talent. Now all we need is a level playing field. We are the storytellers who inform and entertain the world. Let's get back to doing that right here at home. Thank you, Senators Scott and Schiff and Representatives Moran, Sánchez, Friedman, and Jack, for championing this critical legislation," said Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists President Sean Astin.

Chairman and CEO of Paramount David Ellison said, "Paramount fully supports this legislation, and thanks Senator Scott for his bipartisan leadership on this important issue. America's highly-skilled production workforce- including camera operators, set production designers, editors, visual effects artists, lighting and sound crews, costume and makeup teams, transportation workers filmmakers, and countless others - are critical to our nation's economy, and have built and powered one of this country's greatest cultural exports. We believe now is the time to pursue this important legislation, so we can support our critical production workers and make more films and TV right here at home. Paramount will continue working closely with our union partners and the broader creative industry at every level to help support this effort."

"We thank Senator Tim Scott and his colleagues for introducing 'The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act,' which takes an important step toward strengthening America's competitiveness for film and television production," said NBC Universal Entertainment Chairman Donna Langley. "A federal incentive that complements existing state programs would help level the playing field, drive economic growth, create high-skill jobs, and ensure more film and television production is made in America by one of the nation's most dynamic industries."

"The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act is the most significant legislative effort in a generation to promote domestic film and television production, and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports. This moment is the culmination of years of work by the entertainment guilds and unions, in partnership with the MPA and lawmakers from both parties. The DGA thanks Senators Scott and Schiff and Representatives Moran, Jack, and Friedman for advancing this important bipartisan effort to strengthen domestic production, create jobs, and further build on the critical work already underway through state incentives in California, New York, Illinois, Georgia, and elsewhere. We also acknowledge the leadership of Ambassador Voight on this issue. We look forward to working with our partners in Congress, labor, the Administration, and at the studios to get this bill signed into law," said Directors Guild of America President Christopher Nolan.

MPA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin said, "The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act would deliver a true gamechanger for American creators, workers, and businesses - a federal incentive that supercharges production at home, fuels jobs and growth in local communities, and makes the United States a more competitive destination for the next generation of great film and television. There's a reason everyone from President Trump to a bipartisan group of members in Congress to studios, unions, guilds, and more want to get this done. Passing this legislation could inject $250 billion into the country's economy and deliver nearly 145,000 new jobs every year across all 50 states. That's a story we can write together by enacting this bill, to ensure that more stories are crafted, created, and made here in America. The Motion Picture Association thanks Senators Tim Scott and Adam Schiff, and Representatives Nathaniel Moran, Linda Sánchez, Brian Jack, Laura Friedman, Mike Carey, Judy Chu, David Kustoff, Tom Suozzi for their leadership in support of America's creative economy."

Read full statements of support from organizations and industry leaders here.

The full text of the legislation is available here.

The section-by-section of the legislation is available here.