Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Natural Resources Defense Council: Transparency, Accountability Needed in Open AI Contract With Georgia Power
NEW YORK, Aug. 14 -- The Natural Resources Defense Council issued the following news release:
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Transparency, Accountability Needed in Open AI Contract with Georgia Power
ATLANTA, GA. - This week, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), the Sierra Club and SACE (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy) submitted a request to the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to formally object to Open AI's contract for electric service with Georgia Power.
In a letter to the PSC, advocates asked the commission to reject Open AI's request unless robust ratepayer protections and full public transparency ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Aug. 14 -- The Natural Resources Defense Council issued the following news release: * * * Transparency, Accountability Needed in Open AI Contract with Georgia Power ATLANTA, GA. - This week, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), the Sierra Club and SACE (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy) submitted a request to the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to formally object to Open AI's contract for electric service with Georgia Power. In a letter to the PSC, advocates asked the commission to reject Open AI's request unless robust ratepayer protections and full public transparencyare guaranteed.
Open AI's request for an additional 3.2 gigawatts of power, and the process in which it has made the request with the PSC raises numerous concerns about cost-shifting risks; a lack of transparency in existing agreements which have been heavily redacted; and the discretionary enforcement of the commission's rule requiring Georgia Power to protect existing customers.
"The magnitude of the load from the announced Open AI project heightens the consequences of any shortcomings in the fully redacted contract's cost-recovery provisions," the letter reads. "A contract that does not adequately ensure recovery of all costs incurred to serve the load could leave Georgia Power customers responsible for those costs."
The objection calls for:
* Public transparency: Require unredacted disclosure of key terms for all large-load agreements, including load commitments, schedules, exit provisions, collateral, and specific infrastructure costs.
* Standardized tariff class: Establish a standard "large-load customer" tariff class rather than relying on individualized, discretionary contracts.
* Mandatory commission approval: Institute an affirmative vote requirement by the Commission for high-impact contracts, such as loads exceeding 500 MW or infrastructure values over $1 billion.
Advocates recommended the PSC reject the Open AI contract unless it includes more enforceable protections for Georgia Power ratepayers and urged the commission to move forward with more transparency and accountability.
"Redacted in its entirety," said Patrick King II, Georgia policy advocate with NRDC. "That is the level of transparency Georgia Power has provided the public about a contract for what would be the largest customer ever added to Georgia's electric system, potentially requiring billions of dollars in infrastructure investment to serve a single customer, OpenAI. Georgia Power ratepayers deserve to know what their commissioners are considering and how this could impact their communities and their wallets.
"PSC staff have a responsibility to ensure that the rules governing these massive AI data centers are enforced and that the public is meaningfully protected from the financial risks associated with serving them. Asking Georgia Power's ratepayers to blindly bear the risks of an investment of this magnitude, primarily to serve a company worth hundreds of billions of dollars, is unconscionable. Transparency and enforceable protections for ratepayers should be the bare minimum for an investment of this scale."
"Georgia Power wants absolute authority with no accountability," said Hannah Baker, Organizer with the Sierra Club's Georgia Chapter. "While communities across Georgia are speaking out about the excessive and speculative data center boom - and voicing real concerns about the impacts on their lives - Georgia Power wants to push through the contract of what could be the largest singular customer ever added to our state's electrical grid without any transparency and without significant oversight. Georgia Power is not above the law; it cannot redact entire contracts and hide all its plans from public view. The PSC must remind Georgia Power and OpenAI that utility companies and Big Tech do not run the state. The people of Georgia do."
The public deserves to know everything about the potential monthly power bill and energy impacts of the largest data center in state history before the Public Service Commission approves it," said Eddy Moore, Decarbonization Director with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. "This should not be a routine, 'behind closed doors' approval process."
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NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).
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Original text here: https://www.nrdc.org/press-releases/transparency-accountability-needed-open-ai-contract-georgia-power
[Category: Environment]
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Transparency, Accountability Needed in Open AI Contract with Georgia Power
ATLANTA, GA. - This week, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), the Sierra Club and SACE (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy) submitted a request to the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to formally object to Open AI's contract for electric service with Georgia Power.
In a letter to the PSC, advocates asked the commission to reject Open AI's request unless robust ratepayer protections and full public transparency ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Aug. 14 -- The Natural Resources Defense Council issued the following news release: * * * Transparency, Accountability Needed in Open AI Contract with Georgia Power ATLANTA, GA. - This week, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), the Sierra Club and SACE (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy) submitted a request to the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to formally object to Open AI's contract for electric service with Georgia Power. In a letter to the PSC, advocates asked the commission to reject Open AI's request unless robust ratepayer protections and full public transparencyare guaranteed.
Open AI's request for an additional 3.2 gigawatts of power, and the process in which it has made the request with the PSC raises numerous concerns about cost-shifting risks; a lack of transparency in existing agreements which have been heavily redacted; and the discretionary enforcement of the commission's rule requiring Georgia Power to protect existing customers.
"The magnitude of the load from the announced Open AI project heightens the consequences of any shortcomings in the fully redacted contract's cost-recovery provisions," the letter reads. "A contract that does not adequately ensure recovery of all costs incurred to serve the load could leave Georgia Power customers responsible for those costs."
The objection calls for:
* Public transparency: Require unredacted disclosure of key terms for all large-load agreements, including load commitments, schedules, exit provisions, collateral, and specific infrastructure costs.
* Standardized tariff class: Establish a standard "large-load customer" tariff class rather than relying on individualized, discretionary contracts.
* Mandatory commission approval: Institute an affirmative vote requirement by the Commission for high-impact contracts, such as loads exceeding 500 MW or infrastructure values over $1 billion.
Advocates recommended the PSC reject the Open AI contract unless it includes more enforceable protections for Georgia Power ratepayers and urged the commission to move forward with more transparency and accountability.
"Redacted in its entirety," said Patrick King II, Georgia policy advocate with NRDC. "That is the level of transparency Georgia Power has provided the public about a contract for what would be the largest customer ever added to Georgia's electric system, potentially requiring billions of dollars in infrastructure investment to serve a single customer, OpenAI. Georgia Power ratepayers deserve to know what their commissioners are considering and how this could impact their communities and their wallets.
"PSC staff have a responsibility to ensure that the rules governing these massive AI data centers are enforced and that the public is meaningfully protected from the financial risks associated with serving them. Asking Georgia Power's ratepayers to blindly bear the risks of an investment of this magnitude, primarily to serve a company worth hundreds of billions of dollars, is unconscionable. Transparency and enforceable protections for ratepayers should be the bare minimum for an investment of this scale."
"Georgia Power wants absolute authority with no accountability," said Hannah Baker, Organizer with the Sierra Club's Georgia Chapter. "While communities across Georgia are speaking out about the excessive and speculative data center boom - and voicing real concerns about the impacts on their lives - Georgia Power wants to push through the contract of what could be the largest singular customer ever added to our state's electrical grid without any transparency and without significant oversight. Georgia Power is not above the law; it cannot redact entire contracts and hide all its plans from public view. The PSC must remind Georgia Power and OpenAI that utility companies and Big Tech do not run the state. The people of Georgia do."
The public deserves to know everything about the potential monthly power bill and energy impacts of the largest data center in state history before the Public Service Commission approves it," said Eddy Moore, Decarbonization Director with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. "This should not be a routine, 'behind closed doors' approval process."
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NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).
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Original text here: https://www.nrdc.org/press-releases/transparency-accountability-needed-open-ai-contract-georgia-power
[Category: Environment]
National Council on Family Relations: JFTR Call for Papers - Indigenous Family Life
ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Aug. 14 -- The National Council on Family Relations issued the following news:
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JFTR Call for Papers: Indigenous Family Life
Submit Manuscripts by Dec. 15, 2026
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NCFR's Journal of Family Theory & Review (JFTR) has released a call for papers for a special collection with the theme "Indigenous Family Life." The guest editors are Sarah Allen, Ph.D., and Vanessa Simonds, Sc.D.
Manuscript submissions are due Dec. 15, 2026.
Everything necessary for a strong family life and healthy relationships is inherent in Indigenous cultures, including values, ways of knowing, and ... Show Full Article ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Aug. 14 -- The National Council on Family Relations issued the following news: * * * JFTR Call for Papers: Indigenous Family Life Submit Manuscripts by Dec. 15, 2026 - NCFR's Journal of Family Theory & Review (JFTR) has released a call for papers for a special collection with the theme "Indigenous Family Life." The guest editors are Sarah Allen, Ph.D., and Vanessa Simonds, Sc.D. Manuscript submissions are due Dec. 15, 2026. Everything necessary for a strong family life and healthy relationships is inherent in Indigenous cultures, including values, ways of knowing, andways of being. Through participatory research and the growth of Indigenous scholarship, this knowledge is now entering the academic literature. For too long, predominantly white institutions and the research they produce have marginalized these perspectives, rendering Indigenous knowledge and strengths of Indigenous people invisible.
This special issue is a call to remedy the silence in our scholarship by establishing a collection of articles that center Indigenous voices and lived experiences utilizing culturally responsive theoretical perspectives and methodologies.
The guest editors invite scholars to challenge the field of Family Science and address the underrepresentation of Indigenous epistemologies, research methods, theoretical frameworks, and ways of knowing that have created gaps in understandings of Indigenous family life.
See Full Call for Papers (https://www.ncfr.org/jftr/special-issue-call-indigenous-family-life)
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NCFR is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose members support all families through research, teaching, practice, and advocacy.
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Original text here: https://www.ncfr.org/news/jftr-call-papers-indigenous-family-life
[Category: Sociological]
* * *
JFTR Call for Papers: Indigenous Family Life
Submit Manuscripts by Dec. 15, 2026
-
NCFR's Journal of Family Theory & Review (JFTR) has released a call for papers for a special collection with the theme "Indigenous Family Life." The guest editors are Sarah Allen, Ph.D., and Vanessa Simonds, Sc.D.
Manuscript submissions are due Dec. 15, 2026.
Everything necessary for a strong family life and healthy relationships is inherent in Indigenous cultures, including values, ways of knowing, and ... Show Full Article ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Aug. 14 -- The National Council on Family Relations issued the following news: * * * JFTR Call for Papers: Indigenous Family Life Submit Manuscripts by Dec. 15, 2026 - NCFR's Journal of Family Theory & Review (JFTR) has released a call for papers for a special collection with the theme "Indigenous Family Life." The guest editors are Sarah Allen, Ph.D., and Vanessa Simonds, Sc.D. Manuscript submissions are due Dec. 15, 2026. Everything necessary for a strong family life and healthy relationships is inherent in Indigenous cultures, including values, ways of knowing, andways of being. Through participatory research and the growth of Indigenous scholarship, this knowledge is now entering the academic literature. For too long, predominantly white institutions and the research they produce have marginalized these perspectives, rendering Indigenous knowledge and strengths of Indigenous people invisible.
This special issue is a call to remedy the silence in our scholarship by establishing a collection of articles that center Indigenous voices and lived experiences utilizing culturally responsive theoretical perspectives and methodologies.
The guest editors invite scholars to challenge the field of Family Science and address the underrepresentation of Indigenous epistemologies, research methods, theoretical frameworks, and ways of knowing that have created gaps in understandings of Indigenous family life.
See Full Call for Papers (https://www.ncfr.org/jftr/special-issue-call-indigenous-family-life)
* * *
NCFR is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose members support all families through research, teaching, practice, and advocacy.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.ncfr.org/news/jftr-call-papers-indigenous-family-life
[Category: Sociological]
FFRF Action Fund-endorsed Candidates Secure Key Wins in Wisconsin Primary
MADISON, Wisconsin, Aug. 14 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news:
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FFRF AF-endorsed candidates secure key wins in Wis. primary
Two FFRF Action Fund-endorsed candidates have obtained key Democratic nominations in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary.
Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford defeated four opponents for the Democratic slot in the State Assembly District 76 election and Alder JoCasta Zamarripa ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Aug. 14 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news: * * * FFRF AF-endorsed candidates secure key wins in Wis. primary Two FFRF Action Fund-endorsed candidates have obtained key Democratic nominations in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary. Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford defeated four opponents for the Democratic slot in the State Assembly District 76 election and Alder JoCasta Zamarripaadvanced uncontested in the secretary of state race. Both candidates will safeguard the separation between state and church if elected in November.
Martinez-Rutherford, if prevailing as expected in solidly blue District 76 in the November election, will become Wisconsin's first transgender state legislator. She also made history in 2023 as the first transgender woman elected to the Madison Common Council. She is running in the state assembly district that is home to the Freedom From Religion Foundation's headquarters. Martinez-Rutherford identifies as part of the freethought community and will safeguard state/church separation. She pledges to fully fund public schools and eliminate state voucher schemes, to maintain Wisconsin's ban on conversion therapy and to protect bodily autonomy for women and the transgender community.
Zamarripa will face off in the secretary of state race against Republican Jay Schroeder and Wisconsin Green Party candidate Pete Karas in November. Schroeder, a businessman, has denied the results of the 2020 presidential election and has called for the dismantling of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
Zamarripa secured the Democratic nomination for secretary of state, which administers oaths of office for all officials and serves on the board of public lands. The office also allocates public school funding, and she has pledged to maintain the office's state/church boundary and to ensure that public funds remain in secular public schools. Zamarripa is firmly committed to the boundary between state and church; she pushed back against religious exemptions for Covid-19 mask mandates and routinely stood with science and the Milwaukee Health Department while serving on the Milwaukee Common Council. She asserts that religion should not be used as a weapon.
The FFRF Action Fund salutes both candidates for their primary wins as we look to gain a Democratic trifecta in our home state in November.
* * *
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/ffrf-af-endorsed-candidates-secure-key-wins-in-wis-primary/
[Category: Sociological]
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FFRF AF-endorsed candidates secure key wins in Wis. primary
Two FFRF Action Fund-endorsed candidates have obtained key Democratic nominations in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary.
Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford defeated four opponents for the Democratic slot in the State Assembly District 76 election and Alder JoCasta Zamarripa ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Aug. 14 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news: * * * FFRF AF-endorsed candidates secure key wins in Wis. primary Two FFRF Action Fund-endorsed candidates have obtained key Democratic nominations in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary. Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford defeated four opponents for the Democratic slot in the State Assembly District 76 election and Alder JoCasta Zamarripaadvanced uncontested in the secretary of state race. Both candidates will safeguard the separation between state and church if elected in November.
Martinez-Rutherford, if prevailing as expected in solidly blue District 76 in the November election, will become Wisconsin's first transgender state legislator. She also made history in 2023 as the first transgender woman elected to the Madison Common Council. She is running in the state assembly district that is home to the Freedom From Religion Foundation's headquarters. Martinez-Rutherford identifies as part of the freethought community and will safeguard state/church separation. She pledges to fully fund public schools and eliminate state voucher schemes, to maintain Wisconsin's ban on conversion therapy and to protect bodily autonomy for women and the transgender community.
Zamarripa will face off in the secretary of state race against Republican Jay Schroeder and Wisconsin Green Party candidate Pete Karas in November. Schroeder, a businessman, has denied the results of the 2020 presidential election and has called for the dismantling of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
Zamarripa secured the Democratic nomination for secretary of state, which administers oaths of office for all officials and serves on the board of public lands. The office also allocates public school funding, and she has pledged to maintain the office's state/church boundary and to ensure that public funds remain in secular public schools. Zamarripa is firmly committed to the boundary between state and church; she pushed back against religious exemptions for Covid-19 mask mandates and routinely stood with science and the Milwaukee Health Department while serving on the Milwaukee Common Council. She asserts that religion should not be used as a weapon.
The FFRF Action Fund salutes both candidates for their primary wins as we look to gain a Democratic trifecta in our home state in November.
* * *
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/ffrf-af-endorsed-candidates-secure-key-wins-in-wis-primary/
[Category: Sociological]
Earthjustice: Court Blocks Oil Export Project in the Gulf of Mexico
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Aug. 14 -- Earthjustice issued the following news release on Aug. 13, 2026:
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Court Blocks Oil Export Project in the Gulf of Mexico
Victory -- A federal appeals court rejected federal approval for the Texas GulfLink project; the same project secured $2 billion in funding through Trump's trade deal with Japan
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NEW ORLEANS -- On Wednesday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Better Brazoria (Citizens for Clean Air & Clean Water in Brazoria County) when it vacated and remanded the Maritime Administration (MARAD) decision to issue a deepwater port license ... Show Full Article SAN FRANCISCO, California, Aug. 14 -- Earthjustice issued the following news release on Aug. 13, 2026: * * * Court Blocks Oil Export Project in the Gulf of Mexico Victory -- A federal appeals court rejected federal approval for the Texas GulfLink project; the same project secured $2 billion in funding through Trump's trade deal with Japan - NEW ORLEANS -- On Wednesday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Better Brazoria (Citizens for Clean Air & Clean Water in Brazoria County) when it vacated and remanded the Maritime Administration (MARAD) decision to issue a deepwater port licenseto Texas GulfLink, LLC.
The court upheld provisions in the Deepwater Port Act that require only one deepwater port within a specific application area that encircles both projects, including the immediately adjacent and recently approved SPOT oil export project.
GulfLink had secured $2 billion in funding from the Trump administration's trade deal with Japan before the court vacated its license.
"This decision is an important victory for Brazoria County communities and for lawful, transparent decision-making," said Melanie Oldham, Executive Director, Better Brazoria. "Federal agencies must follow the safeguards Congress established before approving major industrial projects off our coast. Better Brazoria will continue working to ensure that community voices are heard and that any further agency proceedings comply fully with the law."
Better Brazoria (formerly Citizens for Clean Air & Clean Water in Brazoria County) was represented by attorneys at Texas Community Law Partners and Earthjustice.
"This court was right to uphold the law, and putting two of these massive export terminals so close to each other would have devastating impacts for Brazoria County communities, wildlife, and the Gulf of Mexico," said Michael Brown, senior attorney at Earthjustice. "As the Administration and oil-and-gas corporations fast-track fossil fuel export projects, often acting as if the environmental or public health laws don't exist, this decision is an important reminder that communities can still stand up and force major, polluting projects to follow the law."
Texas GulfLink export terminal was projected to export up to 2 million barrels of crude oil per day (84,000,000 gallons/day). For comparison, the entire Gulf of Mexico produces 1.8 million barrels of crude oil per day on average. Offshore oil fields account for around 15% of total U.S. crude oil production, mostly in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Additional Resources
* About the Fossil Fuels Program (https://earthjustice.org/office/fossil-fuels)
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About Earthjustice
Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.
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Original text here: https://earthjustice.org/press/2026/court-blocks-oil-export-project-in-the-gulf-of-mexico
[Category: Environment]
* * *
Court Blocks Oil Export Project in the Gulf of Mexico
Victory -- A federal appeals court rejected federal approval for the Texas GulfLink project; the same project secured $2 billion in funding through Trump's trade deal with Japan
-
NEW ORLEANS -- On Wednesday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Better Brazoria (Citizens for Clean Air & Clean Water in Brazoria County) when it vacated and remanded the Maritime Administration (MARAD) decision to issue a deepwater port license ... Show Full Article SAN FRANCISCO, California, Aug. 14 -- Earthjustice issued the following news release on Aug. 13, 2026: * * * Court Blocks Oil Export Project in the Gulf of Mexico Victory -- A federal appeals court rejected federal approval for the Texas GulfLink project; the same project secured $2 billion in funding through Trump's trade deal with Japan - NEW ORLEANS -- On Wednesday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Better Brazoria (Citizens for Clean Air & Clean Water in Brazoria County) when it vacated and remanded the Maritime Administration (MARAD) decision to issue a deepwater port licenseto Texas GulfLink, LLC.
The court upheld provisions in the Deepwater Port Act that require only one deepwater port within a specific application area that encircles both projects, including the immediately adjacent and recently approved SPOT oil export project.
GulfLink had secured $2 billion in funding from the Trump administration's trade deal with Japan before the court vacated its license.
"This decision is an important victory for Brazoria County communities and for lawful, transparent decision-making," said Melanie Oldham, Executive Director, Better Brazoria. "Federal agencies must follow the safeguards Congress established before approving major industrial projects off our coast. Better Brazoria will continue working to ensure that community voices are heard and that any further agency proceedings comply fully with the law."
Better Brazoria (formerly Citizens for Clean Air & Clean Water in Brazoria County) was represented by attorneys at Texas Community Law Partners and Earthjustice.
"This court was right to uphold the law, and putting two of these massive export terminals so close to each other would have devastating impacts for Brazoria County communities, wildlife, and the Gulf of Mexico," said Michael Brown, senior attorney at Earthjustice. "As the Administration and oil-and-gas corporations fast-track fossil fuel export projects, often acting as if the environmental or public health laws don't exist, this decision is an important reminder that communities can still stand up and force major, polluting projects to follow the law."
Texas GulfLink export terminal was projected to export up to 2 million barrels of crude oil per day (84,000,000 gallons/day). For comparison, the entire Gulf of Mexico produces 1.8 million barrels of crude oil per day on average. Offshore oil fields account for around 15% of total U.S. crude oil production, mostly in the Gulf of Mexico.
* * *
Additional Resources
* About the Fossil Fuels Program (https://earthjustice.org/office/fossil-fuels)
* * *
About Earthjustice
Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.
* * *
Original text here: https://earthjustice.org/press/2026/court-blocks-oil-export-project-in-the-gulf-of-mexico
[Category: Environment]
Americans for Tax Reform: 40 Examples of Good News Arising From Big Beautiful Bill's Full Business Expensing Provisions
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary by John Kartch:
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40 Examples of Good News Arising from Big Beautiful Bill's Full Business Expensing Provisions
In addition to across-the-board tax cuts for households, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025 provides full business expensing for American businesses.
In their own words, U.S. employers describe the benefits of the expensing provisions in the bill:
Sukup Manufacturing (Sheffield, Iowa) -- Expensing helps Sukup with product innovation, facilities expansion, job ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary by John Kartch: * * * 40 Examples of Good News Arising from Big Beautiful Bill's Full Business Expensing Provisions In addition to across-the-board tax cuts for households, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025 provides full business expensing for American businesses. In their own words, U.S. employers describe the benefits of the expensing provisions in the bill: Sukup Manufacturing (Sheffield, Iowa) -- Expensing helps Sukup with product innovation, facilities expansion, jobcreation, and employee wages, benefits, and childcare:
"The Working Families Tax Cuts Act is important to a company like ours because it creates stability in our tax code. This stability helps us confidently invest, grow, and create high quality manufacturing jobs right here in north central Iowa. Immediate R&D expensing has been especially valuable. Innovation is core to what we do here at Sukup. We hold more than 100 patents and our safety-home product now provides durable housing around the world. Being able to expense R&D right away means we can invest more in engineering talent and product development here in Iowa, keeping innovation moving today. These provisions have real-world results. After the 2017 tax reforms, we increased annual capital spending from about $5 million to nearly $15 million annually, expanded our facilities, and added more than 200 quality jobs. Looking ahead, maintaining these policies will help us keep investing in automation, facility upgrades, and workforce development -- supporting strong wages, benefits, and childcare for our employees." -- Tom Mangan, President and CEO, Sukup Manufacturing
Allied PhotoChemical (Macomb, Michigan) -- Expensing helps the company create new formulas and processes for American manufacturers and helping to expand manufacturing capacity:
"The Working Families Tax Cuts Act has had a direct and meaningful impact on our business. Two provisions in particular are helping us grow and invest right here in Michigan. The first is the R&D expensing provision. Much of what we do involves creating new formulas and new processes for our customers -- U.S. manufacturers -- to become more efficient. In the past, complex R&D tax rules made that investment more difficult, and now we're more certain about investing in research and development. Second, the immediate expensing provision is giving us momentum. It's encouraged us to expand our manufacturing capacity and we're seeing the same from our customers. American manufacturers are launching more capital projects and that activity is driving growth for all of us. It is creating a virtuous circle: Our customers invest, and then we invest, and the entire ecosystem becomes stronger. We are also seeing a resurgence in onshoring. Projects that had previously moved overseas are now coming back to the U.S. But for them to stay here, these operations need to be efficient, competitive and reliable. That's where we come in. Our technology helps make these projects sustainable long term. This growth translates into real opportunities. More jobs, bigger facilities, and increased economic activity. And it is not just the businesses that benefit. The Working Families Tax Cut Act is also helping our employees. By making the larger standard deduction and the enhanced child tax credit permanent, this Act is allowing our team members to keep more of what they earn. Many of them have young families, and reducing the financial pressure and increasing their quality of life is deeply important to us." -- Dan Sweetwood, President of Allied PhotoChemical
Western Trailers (Boise, Idaho) -- Expensing is helping with facilities expansion and job creation:
"Building semi-trailers is a massive operation, and we currently have 38 acres and more than 200,000 square feet of building space, with more than 20 acres planned for future expansions in Fruitland, Idaho. Immediate expensing of both equipment and production facilities lowers the costs of those investments, supporting our ability to continue to invest and create jobs in the community we've operated in for more than 50 years." -- Clint Whitehead, President of Western Trailers, as documented in the National Association of Manufacturers' 2026 Manufacturing Tax Wins Across America report
HM Manufacturing (Wauconda, Illinois) -- $645,000 purchase of new machining equipment and the creation of five new jobs:
"Beyond tax savings, which can be reinvested back into job creation and worker benefits, the law provides what Main Street needs most: certainty. With tax savings now locked in, entrepreneurs can plan for the years ahead -- making long-term investments that will help to shape communities for decades to come.
But what truly sets this law apart is the restoration of full and immediate expensing for capital equipment. This provision is a game changer for my company.
We're now moving forward with a $645,000 investment in new machining equipment that will allow us to take on more complex projects, many of which have recently been reshored from overseas. These new capabilities are about staying ahead of the curve in a fast-moving industry.
With these new machines comes new jobs. To support this expansion, we're planning to hire five team members: three skilled machinists, a shipping specialist and a receiving specialist." - Sept. 8, 2025 Chicago Sun-Times letter to the editor by Nicole Wolter, president and CEO of HM manufacturing
Martin Sustainable Resources (Alexandria, Louisiana) -- Equipment upgrades and facilities expansion:
"In Louisiana, reinvestment is how we keep mills running, timber moving and building products flowing to customers across the country. Recent modernization projects in Oakdale and Chopin show what that looks like in practice--new production equipment, press upgrades, robotics, scanning technology, kilns and facility improvements that help our teams produce plywood and OSB more efficiently. The Working Families Tax Cuts are helping to fuel modernization at our company. Full expensing for facilities and equipment strengthens our ability to keep making long-term investments, and estate tax relief helps protect the continuity of a family-owned company rooted in Louisiana for generations." -- E. Scott Poole, CEO, as documented in the National Association of Manufacturers' 2026 Manufacturing Tax Wins Across America report
Camping World (Lincolnshire, Illinois) - Expanded facilities and operations:
Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis also commented on how provisions from the new legislation are affecting business operations: "The deductible interest is helping us put more money directly into building new facilities, expanding operations, and hiring more American workers," Lemonis said. "Our customers travel in America, spend in America, and support American-made experiences. This legislation is a powerful signal that this administration understands the strength and impact of our industry." - August 7, 2025 South Bend Times
Novelis, Inc. (Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia with construction of new facility in Bay Minette, Alabama) -- Expensing is helping with the construction of large new aluminum plant in Alabama:
"Our greenfield plant in Alabama required an enormous amount of upfront investment to purchase specialized equipment and materials on a large scale, and the end result will be the largest aluminum plant of its kind in the U.S., bolstering domestic manufacturing and displacing imports. The business tax provisions in H.R. 1, [Working Families Tax Cut/One Big Beautiful Bill Act] such as immediate equipment expensing and expanded interest deductions, have been hugely beneficial and helped accelerate our cost recovery on capital while we work to bring the plant online." -- Dev Ahuja, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, as documented in the National Association of Manufacturers' 2026 Manufacturing Tax Wins Across America report.
Beauty Society (North Las Vegas, Nevada) -- Investment in new machinery, improved efficiency, expanded production:
"There's nothing that feels better than being able to channel tax savings into the business. This year, we were able to do so. We bought multiple pieces of machinery that we wouldn't have bought in previous years because we get to see the tax benefits and that has helped us become more efficient, grow, create more products at a better affordable price. And we're able to pass that on to our consumers." - April 16, 2026, Joel Rottman, President, as reported by FOX5 Las Vegas
Brewfontaine restuarant and The Syndicate restaurant (Bellefontaine, Ohio) -- investment in staff, equipment and operations; expanded patio area:
"The Big Beautiful Bill has helped us keep more of our resources within our four walls, which means we invest in our staff, upgrade equipment and continue improving the overall guest experience." -- Adam Rammel, owner of Brewfontaine and The Syndicate, testimonial to Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council published April 2, 2026 [video]
Printed Solid (Wilmington, Delaware) -- Expensing is helping the company create jobs and expand facilities and manufacturing capacity:
"For a company defending and expanding western production, certainty matters. The Working Families Tax Cuts Act helps us plan and build with confidence. Provisions like full expensing directly support the massive capital investments we've made to expand our Prusa 3D printer manufacturing capacity tenfold, add jobs and secure high-quality 3D printing technology here in the U.S." -- Samuel Vavrek, COO as documented in the National Association of Manufacturers' 2026 Manufacturing Tax Wins Across America report.
Wideman Pools (Festus, Missouri) -- Investment in $50,000 in new equipment, plus wage increases and profit-sharing bonuses:
"We have increased wages across the board by 10 percent and purchased over fifty thousand in new equipment for our businesses. We are also giving our employees a profit-sharing bonus this year." - April 20, 2026, Rodney, Wideman Pools, as quoted by the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance
B&W Hardware (Wake Forest, North Carolina) -- 18% increase in sales, investment in store improvements, and wage increases including a $2.50 hourly raise:
"The Working Families Tax Cuts has made a real difference. This January, our sales were up 18% compared to last year, which tells me people have a little more breathing room and they're spending it right here in our community. On the business side, the return of 100% bonus depreciation helped us invest back into the store. We recently raised wages because when our business does well, we want our people to do well, too." - April 8, 2026, Joe Kimray, Owner, B&W Hardware, as reported by the House Republican Conference
Liberty Landscape Supply (Jacksonville, Florida) -- Equipment and truck purchases, job creation and business expansion:
Mike's company operates six locations in the Jacksonville area and employs 170 people. He shared that the new tax law "provided me the freedom to grow" by removing the uncertainty around whether the 20% small business deduction would remain in place. Combined with enhanced expensing for investment, that certainty has helped him make both short-term and long-term business decisions with greater confidence.
Working with his tax advisor, Mike was able to accelerate a long-term growth project into an immediate expansion. Savings from the new tax law allowed him to purchase a truck and hire an operator to add pest control services that customers had requested for years. He made clear that he would not have moved forward without the support of the new tax law.
Liberty Landscape Supply is also planning to acquire another nursery in Tallahassee, FL, with 82 employees. The deal is expected to close in April 2026 and would not have happened without pro-growth tax policy. -- April 15, 2026, Mike Zaffaroni, Owner, Liberty Landscape Supply, as reported in testimony before the House Committee on Small Business
Kaddas Enterprises (Salt Lake City, Utah) -- New equipment and expansion. OBBBA's expensing provisions were a key factor in the recent expansion of this family manufacturing business:
Kaddas Enterprise is a second-generation family manufacturing business located in Salt Lake City, UT. Kaddas Enterprise is undergoing its 3rd expansion in the past seven years and sells their products across the US and into 17 countries worldwide. Natalie calls immediate Research & Development (R&D) expensing "the essential to maintain our competitive advantage within our business." When the tax code required her to amortize R&D costs instead of deducting them right away, it tied up cash and amounted to an estimated tax liability by 35%.
With the Working Families Tax Cut Act's restoration of full, immediate expensing for U.S.-based R&D, she can now keep more working capital in the business and reinvest in operational improvements that support energy resiliency. Most importantly, she emphasized that making R&D expensing permanent gave her and her employees the confidence to launch their latest expansion. -- April 15, 2026, Natalie Kaddas, CEO, Kaddas Enterprises, as reported in testimony before the House Committee on Small Business
Mekky Media Relations (Chicago, Illinois) -- Investment in business expansion tools and new employee benefits such as maternity leave and a 401(k) matching program:
Michelle leads Mekky Media Relations, a public relations firm in Chicago, IL that employs 10 people. She said the new tax law is giving her the certainty to invest more aggressively in her people and her company. By making the 20% pass-through deduction permanent, Michelle gained the confidence it takes to make longer-term investments in employee benefits. This year, she launched paid maternity leave for the first time and is now moving forward with a 401(k)-matching program.
She also described reinvesting in growth tools, including AI technologies to better serve clients, and extending leadership coaching for senior talent. While her industry isn't equipment-heavy, she noted that improved expensing and stronger cash flow will support future investments in computers and systems as the business scales, helping her continue to elevate the company and the services it provides. -- April 15, 2026, Michelle Mekky, Owner, Mekky Media Relations, as reported in testimony before the House Committee on Small Business
Vicci Inc. (Fitchburg, Wisconsin) -- Business expansion and job creation:
VICCI oversees motorsports brands, including the engineering and manufacturing company, Riley Technologies, and Kellymoss, the winningest team in Porsche racing. Victoria shared the impact of reinstating immediate expensing for U.S.-based R&D. By allowing eligible businesses to amend tax returns for refunds on previously amortized R&D, Victoria's team is unlocking more than six figures to grow, hire, and innovate.
Victoria also pointed to evidence that the Working Families Tax Cut Act is strengthening American manufacturing demand across the supply chain. She is in the process of acquiring a 155,000-square-foot facility in North Carolina to meet customer demand. -- April 15, 2026, Victoria Thomas, President, VICCI Inc., as reported in testimony before the House Committee on Small Business
Russell's Convenience / Russell's Xpress (Denver, Colorado) -- Doubling store size, reopening two locations, and increasing workforce by 50% through expansion:
"The tax provisions in the bill are a critical part of my plan... Bonus depreciation alone will help me double the size of my most profitable store. That will allow me to add five more employees... The numbers now make sense for me to reopen two of my stores... All told, I expect to increase my employee numbers by 50 percent or more." - April 22, 2026, Raymond Huff, President, HJB Convenience Corp, as reported by the House Ways and Means Committee
Peg Leg Porker bbq restaurant (Nashville, Tennessee) -- Equipment purchases:
(Pictured above: Carey Bringle, owner of Peg Leg Porker)
"The section 179 deduction is huge at 100%. It allows business owners like me to say, alright, before the end of the year I'm going to buy a new truck, a new catering van, I'm going to buy to a new smoker, I'm going to invest more in my business, which can create more jobs, which drives revenue for other industries. Just nationwide as a whole it's great for American made products. It's just great for business all around. That ability to write it off in the year that you buy it and negate a lot of taxes because of that is huge.
If I can go buy a $200,000 piece of equipment, well now I'm buying something from another business who is going to benefit. It's going to help me expand my business operations, which is going to help me benefit. It's probably going to create some more jobs, not only from my business but for the other business I buy it from. And now my tax burden is reduced to the federal government. Because instead of giving that money to Uncle Sam, to spend on God knows what, now I'm giving it to another business.
I'm able to take the deduction and invest it into myself and my business that I know is going to create jobs. Other than being great tax policy, it's a feel-good policy for a business owner to feel better about the money that you're earning. Business owners want to invest, they want to create more. If you're a natural entrepreneur, you want to keep going. When the federal government deincentivizes you to keep going because the more you grow the more you get taxed, that's when business grinds to a halt. So deductions like this are paramount to businesses thriving in their communities." -- Carey Bringle, owner of Peg Leg Porker, testimonial to Americans for Tax Reform.
Vermeer Corporation (Pella, Iowa) - Factory expansion and job creation:
Businesses also can now immediately deduct capital expenditures under the new law.
Those provisions will help Vermeer invest in multimillion-dollar machining centers and likely add "hundreds of thousands" of square feet of new factory space, Andringa said. The company is already finishing a South Carolina expansion project.
The prospect of such a massive expansion goes to show "the importance of it (the tax cuts) being permanent," Miller-Meeks said.
* * *
Jason Andringa, president and CEO of Vermeer, said those tax provisions were helping drive investment at the Pella-based industrial and agricultural equipment manufacturer.
"The One Big beautiful Bill, the Working Families Tax Act, H.R. 1, however you want to call it, has been very beneficial for Vermeer, our dealers and our customers," Andringa told The Gazette.
He said provisions encouraging research and development, equipment expensing and factory construction contributed to Vermeer's decision to build a new manufacturing facility in Bondurant.
The company currently leases a 100,000-square-foot facility in Des Moines. Andringa said Vermeer planned to move that operation to its new Bondurant facility, which will be roughly three times as large and create an additional 150 to 200 jobs.
Vermeer's overall business is growing by double digits, Andringa said, driven largely by its industrial equipment business serving infrastructure installation, organic waste processing and other markets. - Aug. 19, 2025 Des Moines Register and Aug. 12, 2026 Quad-City Times article
Sylvamo Corporation (Memphis, Tennessee) - Significant facilities expansion:
"Thanks to tax provisions in the OBBBA, we are investing to expand our U.S. operations.
This substantial impact for Sylvamo is rippling throughout the manufacturing sector, with the expansion in investment capacity resulting from the OBBBA enabling thousands of manufacturers across the country to invest more in their communities, offer higher pay or better benefits to their employees, conduct cutting-edge research, and create jobs. Achieving the manufacturing revitalization that this Congress and this Administration seek begins with a tax code that supports manufacturing investment, and that's exactly what the One Big Beautiful Bill Act delivered."
"Provisions such as immediate expensing for research, equipment, and facilities, a 21% corporate tax rate, and a modern international tax framework enabled us to invest and expand. A permanent, competitive tax structure is essential for continuing these job-creating investments."
"Specifically, investments announced in 2025 include:
- $100 million investment by Sylvamo to expand capacity at our Eastover, SC mill, adding 60,000 short tons annually;
- $45 million investment by Sylvamo in a new sheeter at our Sumter, SC plant to enhance efficiency and product quality; and
- $70 million investment by Arkansas-based The Price Companies, which will modernize and operate the woodyard at the Eastover, SC mill for Sylvamo--a critical step to strengthen the company." - December 3, 2025 written testimony of Agnes Webb, Vice President of Tax at Sylvamo, submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee [Video]
1920 Tavern (Roswell, Georgia) - Equipment purchases and pay raises:
"It restores 100% immediate expensing, allowing us to invest more in our equipment and our incredible staff, whom I consider family. These tax cuts have been game-changers for small businesses like mine. Savings allowed us to purchase new equipment, new flooring and tabletops that were handmade by a local wood maker. They also allowed us to hire more staff and give our longtime employees much-deserved raises." - Jenna Aronowitz, owner of 1920 Tavern, in a Nov. 13, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Op-Ed
Vance Truck Accessories (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) - Higher employee wages + bonuses, sponsorship of local youth baseball, football, and softball programs; local charitable giving:
"I run a small truck accessories company that specializes in American-made products. But I chose the worst possible time to set up shop. The year was 2016, and the economy wasn't doing great. I was basically broke, and every day was a struggle to find customers, hire workers and even keep my doors open. Taxes didn't help. Small businesses face a big burden. It was painful to watch the money I needed go out the door to Washington, D.C.
But then President Trump and Congress stepped up. In 2017, they passed a historic tax cut for small businesses, called the Small Business Deduction. Ever since, I've been able to deduct about 20% of my business income every year. Without this relief, I'd be at a huge disadvantage compared to big businesses. Their taxes are lower, and I need a level playing field to compete.
But my tax cut wasn't permanent. My taxes were going to go back to their original painful level at the end of this year. Thankfully, the Small Business Deduction is permanently in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act the president signed on the Fourth of July.
To understand why this permanent tax cut matters, consider what I've been able to do since it was originally passed in 2017. One of the first things I did with the tax cut was move my business into a better part of town. I couldn't have done it without the extra money. The new location has helped me find more customers and give them a better experience.
I've also been able to pay my team more. Higher wages help them stick around, instead of getting poached by bigger competitors with more money. I've also been able to give them annual bonuses because of the tax cut.
But the most meaningful thing I've done with the extra money is give back to Oklahoma City. I love this city. I want it to be the best place in America for the next generation. So, I've sponsored baseball, football and softball programs at our local schools. I've also donated to the Oklahoma First Responder Wellness Division, helping our local heroes get the mental health care they need. I couldn't do any of this if my taxes rose at the end of this year.
But now I don't have to worry about that. Those 20% savings have helped me build the small business I always dreamed about. Now that the Small Business Deduction is permanent, I can dream even bigger. I'm going to keep giving back and investing in my team, my community and my country's future.
And it's not just me. Tens of millions of other small businesses can now do the exact same thing. Studies show that small businesses will now create more than 1.2 million new jobs a year because they have the confidence and cash to grow and give back. I look forward to playing my part. I couldn't be more grateful that my small business has been empowered for the next 10 years and beyond." - Statement of Chris Vance, owner, as published in The Oklahoman newspaper on Aug. 11, 2025
Artic Air Heating & Cooling, Inc. (Phoenix, Arizona):
"Now we're making entirely different decisions, thanks to the permanent tax cut. We've put in place new plans to grow and give back to our community.
To get a sense of what small businesses like ours are now empowered to do, consider what we did after the initial tax cut eight years ago. To start, it let us pay off our small business loan at a much faster rate, ultimately getting it off our books. Now, we can use the extra money to invest in our operations and workers.
The tax cut also helped us invest in new equipment. Some new fleet trucks. A new forklift for the warehouse. A slew of new tools, including top-quality welders. These investments have helped us be more proficient in bidding against bigger businesses with more resources. Now, with a permanent tax cut, we can invest and compete with even more confidence.
And most importantly, we're better able to help our workers thrive. Over the few years, the tax cut enabled us to give our workers an unanticipated but much-needed raise, retaining the people we need to succeed. We were even able to pay a greater share of their health care costs. Now, with permanent relief, increased wage hikes are manageable for the foreseeable future.
None of this would be possible if D.C. had let this tax relief expire. We would have had to raise prices and cut costs, and over time, the pressure would have only increased. No wonder 95% of Americans were worried about the damage if the Small Business Deduction expired. Now they don't have to worry, and studies show that small businesses like ours will create 1.2 million jobs a year thanks to this relief." - October 3, 2025 Phoenix Independent
Sergio's Cuban American Kitchen (Florida) - Two new restaurant locations and 100 new jobs:
But thanks to the recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, independent restaurants are poised to thrive - benefiting employees, customers and the community alike. For Sergio's Restaurants, my family small business, that means moving ahead with plans to open two new restaurant locations and hire approximately 100 new team members over the next year.
How? The new federal law restores 100% immediate expensing for capital equipment, which allows us to fully deduct the cost of appliances like ovens and refrigerators the year we buy it. The policy incentivizes small businesses to invest in operational expansion now, rather than waiting and kicking the can down the road.
Additionally, the law also makes the 20% small business deduction that was set to expire permanent and locks in lower tax rates for pass-through enterprises. (These are entities in which business revenue is taxed as the owner's personal income.)
The changes give restaurants like ours the long-term tax certainty we need to grow confidently and create jobs, as well as provide existing staff room for career development.
But arguably the most impactful part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for restaurants is the "no tax on tips" provision.
Under this new rule, tipped workers can deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their taxable income. In Florida, the average restaurant server earns around $37,000 annually, more than 60% of which comes from gratuity. That means the "no taxes on tips" policy could eliminate a huge chunk of their federal income tax burden. That's a savings of around $2,000 per year back in the pockets of the restaurant servers and bartenders who power our industry.
This is more than just a win for employees, it's a game-changer for employers too. This significant savings functions like a raise for workers, without increasing the cost of labor for restaurants and bars. At a time when the service industry is fighting to attract and retain talent, this new tax-savings tool makes our sector more competitive and helps level the playing field against other industries. - Aug. 15, 2025 Fox Business Network column
Slate Auto (Warsaw, Indiana) - New jobs and factory renovation:
Slate Auto CEO Chris Barman and several others spoke during a brief ceremony at the facility at 2801 W. Old U.S. 30, before tours were given of the plant renovation.
Barman said plans are to open toward the end of 2026. The plant will employ more than 2,000 people and is estimated to bring in $39 billion in revenue over 20 years to the state.
U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym, who represents the Second District in Indiana, which encompasses Kosciusko County, emphasized Slate's made-in-America status.
"This is what happens when we pass landmark legislation (in Congress) like our One Big, Beautiful Bill, and we're hoping more opportunities like this come to fruition in the future right here in the Hoosier state," he said. "Our bill cuts red tape, rewards innovation and makes sure that America, not our adversaries like China, leads the way in the auto industry. This could not have happened without not only Slate's willingness to make investments, but also without the local elected officials who are here who spent a lot of time rolling out the red carpet to make sure that Slate Auto knew that this was the place for them to do business."
"Slate is proof that when we keep the made-in-America provisions strong, companies step up and they build right here at home," he added.
"When I think about a company like Slate Auto, a few of the provisions we put in the (Big, Beautiful Bill), things like ... a brand new made-in-America provision where a company like this can take an old factory, rehab it and be able to depreciate 100% of that expense in Year 1, it's such a big deal to allow companies to make products here in America instead of allowing China to lead the way in things like auto production," Yakym said after the ceremony. - August 28, 2025 Indiana Times-Union article
Wyoming Machine Inc. (Stacy, Minnesota) - Purchase of new equipment including a fiber optic welding machine:
"Before this reform, smaller manufacturers could deduct only 40% of the cost of major technology purchases in the first year and 20% in the second. The new rules allow full deduction up front, whether investing in cutting-edge fiber optic laser welding or other advanced tools.
For Tapani, the purchase of a new fiber optic laser welding machine, enabled by passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, not only boosts productivity but also addresses chronic shortages in highly trained welders. Fiber optic welding is easier to use and less damaging to materials, allowing Wyoming Machine to serve a wider array of customers and industries." - United States Chamber of Commerce
William Thiele, dairy farmer (Cabot, Pennsylvania) - Grain bin replacement for improved storage capacity and support of food quality:
"I'm a dairy farmer. I'm excited President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill back on July 4. And that really helps farmers like myself because on farms like mine we always have a lot of projects going on and one that we have going on here is we tore down a grain bin actually yesterday and we are going to be building a new one here soon. And so my family and I would not have had the confidence to have a project like this done if it wasn't for the One Big Beautiful Bill to help us with a project like this to improve our grain holding capacity. Remember, if we don't have quality food here, then we can't have a growing nation like we have now, so you always got to support farmers from all over America." - William Thiele, Aug. 7, 2025
U.S. Metal Powders, Inc. (Palmerton, Pennsylvania) - New job creation and company expansion:
"Thanks to this transformative tax legislation, U.S. Metal Powders has already broken ground on adding another production line--which will soon double the company's workforce. This is pro-growth tax policy in action." -- David N. Taylor, President & CEO, Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association, Aug. 8, 2025 press release
Cemen Tech (Indianola, Iowa) - New equipment purchases and expanded production:
"At Cemen Tech in Indianola, company leadership shared how the 100% immediate expensing provisions are giving them certainty to reinvest in new equipment and expand production and employees told me they appreciated knowing the company could continue to thrive." - August 25, 2025 Southeast Iowa Union newspaper
Alphabet, Inc. (Mountain View, California) - OBBBA's expensing provisions are helping the company create jobs and build data centers in South Carolina, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Virginia, and other locations:
"Changes to U.S. tax law enacted on July 4, 2025, allow, among other things, for immediate expensing of domestic research and experimentation costs and accelerated depreciation on eligible capital expenditures, the effects of which are included in operating cash flows for the three months ended September 30, 2025." - Alphabet 3rd quarter 2025 results, released Oct. 29, 2025
Amgen (Thousand Oaks, California) -- $600 million construction of a new U.S. science and innovation center in California; $900 million expansion to the company's Ohio manufacturing facility; $1 billion for construction of a new North Carolina manufacturing facility; $650 million additional expansion to the U.S. manufacturing network; creation of new jobs:
"Amgen today announced plans to invest more than $600 million in a new, state-of-the-art center for science and innovation at its global headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California.
The center is designed to bring together researchers, engineers and scientists across disciplines to enhance collaboration and accelerate the discovery of next-generation therapeutics for patients with the most serious diseases. The building will feature advanced automation and digital capabilities, empowering scientists with the tools and environment needed to drive scientific excellence and advancements in biotechnology.
Amgen's long-standing commitment to U.S. innovation and state-of-the-art operations is reflected in more than $40 billion invested in manufacturing and research and development since the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. This investment includes over $5 billion in direct capital expenditures in the U.S. The enactment of pro-growth tax policies in TCJA, extended and reinforced by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, further facilitates Amgen's ability to invest domestically in cutting-edge science and manufacturing. -- Sept. 2, 2025 Amgen company press release
"Amgen today announced a $900 million expansion of its Ohio manufacturing facility, bringing the total number of jobs created to 750 and the total investment in Central Ohio to over $1.4 billion.
--
"Since passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Amgen has invested almost $5 billion in direct capital expenditures in the United States, generating an additional downstream output to the U.S. economy of approximately $12 billion." -- April 25, 2025 Amgen company press release
"Amgen today announced a $650 million expansion of its U.S. manufacturing network, creating hundreds of new jobs.
The planned investment will support increased drug production at the company's biologics manufacturing facility in Juncos and integrate innovative advanced technologies throughout the operations process. It is expected to create nearly 750 jobs, including construction roles and new highly skilled manufacturing jobs.
"This expansion underscores Amgen's commitment to U.S. biomanufacturing and to strengthening the resilience of our global supply chain," said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer at Amgen. "By growing our capacity to deliver innovative medicines with cutting edge technology in our manufacturing plants, we will not only better serve patients but also create high-quality jobs that reinforce America's leadership in biotechnology."
--
Amgen's long-standing commitment to U.S. innovation and state-of-the-art operations is reflected in more than $40 billion invested in manufacturing and research and development since the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. The enactment of pro-growth tax policies in TCJA, extended and reinforced by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, further facilitates Amgen's ability to invest domestically in cutting-edge science and manufacturing.
This announcement builds on Amgen's recent investments, including a $600 million science and innovation center in California and manufacturing expansions of $900 million in Ohio and $1 billion in North Carolina, respectively. -- Sept. 26, 2025 Amgen company press release
Laser Marking Technologies LLC (Caro, Michigan) -- Facility expansion:
Expensing "will allow us to invest into the future and immediately allow us to double our manufacturing space." "If I can expense our manufacturing additions and new buildings that we need to build so we can supply the machinery for the U.S. -- we can do that and immediately write that off. And that means something. Because that puts it right back into our local economy." -- Sam Palmeter, President of Engineering and New Product Development.
i2M (Mountaintop, Pennsylvania):
"Manufacturers are innovators. By restoring immediate R&D expensing for manufacturers across America, Congress has empowered manufacturers like i2M to innovate and create. That's how we keep our competitive edge--not just as a company, but as a country." -- i2M founder Chris Hackett
Todd Olsen, rancher (Lewistown, Montana):
"Ranching is a gamble and an ever-changing tax code does not make our job easier. The One Big Beautiful Bill gives us multi-year certainty on expensing rules and ag-specific provisions. We can finally plan ahead with more confidence -- and that helps with our business decisions across the board." -- Todd Olsen
Patti Marine Enterprises, Inc. (Pensacola, Florida):
"The full deductibility of the new construction and the 100% immediate expensing of equipment and the extension of the Trump tax cuts allows us to reinvest directly into our workforce, our facilities, and to grow our future." -- Frank Patti Jr.
Click Bond, Inc. (Carson City, Nevada) -- Equipment purchases and employee pay and benefits:
"The OBBBA makes permanent the pro-growth tax policies from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, reinstating expired provisions on a permanent basis and preventing further damaging expirations. It also expands key incentives-- such as the change that will allow us to immediately expense new or improved production facilities. This historic law ensures a pro-growth tax code for manufacturers, ensuring that we can continue to offer the pay and benefits for our workers that allow them to build lifelong, family-supporting manufacturing careers." -- July 25, 2025 written testimony of Austin Robinson, Director of Manufacturing, Click Bond Inc. -- U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means Field Hearing on the One, Big, Beautiful Bill -- Delivering for American Workers -- Las Vegas, Nevada
Bear Valley Ranch (Parkfield, California) expensing provisions will help with equipment and capital purchases:
"Agriculture requires significant investments in machinery, equipment, and other depreciable assets and because of this, farmers and ranchers place great value on tax code provisions such as the Section 179 small business deduction. The ability to immediately expense purchases of equipment provide an incentive for farmers and ranchers to invest in their businesses. The increase of the Section 179 limitation to $2.5 million included in the One Big Beautiful Bill is a much-needed update to this tool which will help cattle producers make larger investments.
Section 179 helps cattle producers with difficult cash flow struggles, lowers their marginal effective tax rate, and eliminates burdensome recordkeeping requirements associated with depreciation. 57 percent of NCBA Tax Survey respondents reported using Section 179 in the past 3 years, and 45 percent of respondents say they would have incurred an additional tax burden exceeding $20,000 if they did not have access to it.
Accelerated deductions allow cattle producers to deduct expenses faster, reducing the tax burden and freeing up capital farm businesses can use to grow. Bonus depreciation, also known as first-year expensing, allows a business to deduct the cost of an asset the year it is placed in service. Farmers and ranchers generally use bonus depreciation when expenditures exceed the Section 179 small business deduction limits. 100 percent bonus depreciation was established in 2017, but it had been phasing out for several years. Reinstating this tool permanently will help cattle producers make essential investments without the burden of delayed tax benefits.
These improved tax incentives allow farmers to immediately write off capital investments, such as a new combine or tractor, and keep thousands of dollars in their bottom line. In addition to equipment purchases, other eligible items may include the purchase of "off-the-shelf" computer software, and breeding livestock." -- July 26, 2025 testimony of Kevin Kester, owner of Bear Valley Ranch, on behalf of National Cattlemen's Beef Association, submitted to House Ways and Means Committee
Robinson Helicopter Company, Inc. (Torrance, California) --
"The OBBBA restored immediate equipment expensing to the 100% level--and made this pro-growth, pro-manufacturing policy permanent. Thanks to the OBBBA, manufacturers and their associated suppliers now have both the policy tools and the certainty needed to compete in this capital-intensive industry.
For Robinson Helicopter, this means being able to carry out our plans to grow our business and create jobs faster. We are acquiring a new Torrance based warehouse very close to our Zamperini Field based headquarters that will allow us to expand our logistics capabilities and more effectively serve the maintenance needs of our customers. We expect that this expansion will lead to additional equipment purchases and increased workforce for this new space. The same is true for the expanded production lines we have planned, which will require a significant amount of research to develop both the best product and a cost-effective, scalable manufacturing processes. Once that process has been developed, it needs to be executed with significant investment in tools, equipment, and workers.
Full and immediate expensing of equipment positively impacts not only our ability to compete and grow our products and services, but also the workforce we will need to hire to operate our expanded manufacturing and logistics capability. That's going to be true across the manufacturing sector, where full expensing leads to lower costs of investment, more equipment purchases, accelerated workforce hiring, and an overall more competitive labor market and associated wages.
Across the economy, the TCJA accelerated U.S. job growth by 1.5 percentage points--a
significant nominal increase representing hundreds of thousands of new nonfarm jobs. The TCJA also led to a 1.0 percentage point increase in the labor force participation rate, signifying hundreds of thousands of civilians entering the labor force. As you might expect in this type of tight labor market, in the two years after the TCJA's enactment, average earnings for production workers rose 6.0%, compared with just 4.9% for the two years prior to the TCJA.
This economic growth was a direct result of pro-investment policies like full expensing. And
now, in the OBBBA, Congress has made full expensing permanent. We've already seen how
these policies lead to economic growth, more jobs, and higher wages--and Robinson Helicopter is already rolling up our sleeves to take advantage of incentives like full expensing. For Robinson Helicopter, it's one of the most important components of this bill, and we look forward to helping deliver economic growth and job creation."
AT&T (Dallas, Texas) - Accelerating fiber infrastructure rollout and wireless services;
"AT&T plans to more quickly build fiber infrastructure thanks to pro-investment policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress today.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will spur investment, maintain U.S. leadership in innovation, and create economic opportunity nationwide. Thanks to the policies in this legislation, AT&T expects to invest more rapidly in next-generation networks after the bill is signed into law, increasing our investment by an additional 1 million fiber customer locations annually starting in 2026.
This bill also creates a pipeline of midband spectrum that will help meet soaring consumer demand and keep the U.S. technologically competitive with other countries. Paired with the tax provisions in the bill, this legislation paves the way for the stated goals laid out by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr: unleashing high-speed infrastructure builds and restoring America's global lead in wireless technology through smart policy." -- July 3, 2025 AT&T company statement
"AT&T expects to realize $6.5 to $8.0 billion of cash tax savings during 2025-2027 relative to the guidance it provided at its 2024 Analyst & Investor Day due to tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This reflects estimated savings of $1.5 to $2.0 billion in 2025 and $2.5 to $3.0 billion in each of 2026 and 2027.
The Company intends to invest $3.5 billion of these savings into its network to accelerate its fiber internet build-out to a pace of 4 million locations per year, a run-rate it expects to achieve by the end of 2026. As a result of this increased pace of organic fiber deployment, AT&T expects that by the end of 2030 it will reach approximately 50 million customer locations with its in-region fiber network and more than 60 million fiber locations when including the Lumen Mass Markets fiber assets it has agreed to acquire and plans to expand, its Gigapower joint venture, and agreements with other commercial open access providers.
AT&T also intends to contribute $1.5 billion of these savings to its employee pension plan by the end of 2026, which would result in approximately 95% funding of the plan. The remaining tax savings will add to AT&T's financial flexibility to support additional strategic investments, incremental capital returns and debt repayment, among other potential uses." -- July 23, 2025 company statement
Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, New Jersey) - Provides certainty for $55 billion in U.S. manufacturing investments:
"These very policies that just pass are the ones that have enabled our commitment to invest $55 billion in the US in the next four years. And our goal is to be able to manufacture in the US, all the medicines that are consumed in the US at the completion of that plan and we are on our way of being able to do that."
"We are pleased that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act provides certainty for our previously announced $55 billion commitment to invest here in the United States. This includes provisions such as permanent expensing for domestic R&D spend, permanent bonus depreciation, and 100% expensing of qualified production property, including our newly planned facility in North Carolina." - Joseph Wolk, Executive VP and CFO, July 16, 2025 earnings call.
Turk Stovall, rancher (Billings, Montana) -- equipment upgrades and other ranch investment:
"Because the One Big Beautiful Bill let's us fully expense valuable and necessary investments under Section 179 and 100% bonus depreciation, our ranch will be able to upgrade equipment, increasing our efficiency without being hit by a huge tax burden. That kind of flexibility matters in a ranch like ours." -- Turk Stovall
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Original text here: https://atr.org/expensing/
[Category: Political]
* * *
40 Examples of Good News Arising from Big Beautiful Bill's Full Business Expensing Provisions
In addition to across-the-board tax cuts for households, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025 provides full business expensing for American businesses.
In their own words, U.S. employers describe the benefits of the expensing provisions in the bill:
Sukup Manufacturing (Sheffield, Iowa) -- Expensing helps Sukup with product innovation, facilities expansion, job ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary by John Kartch: * * * 40 Examples of Good News Arising from Big Beautiful Bill's Full Business Expensing Provisions In addition to across-the-board tax cuts for households, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025 provides full business expensing for American businesses. In their own words, U.S. employers describe the benefits of the expensing provisions in the bill: Sukup Manufacturing (Sheffield, Iowa) -- Expensing helps Sukup with product innovation, facilities expansion, jobcreation, and employee wages, benefits, and childcare:
"The Working Families Tax Cuts Act is important to a company like ours because it creates stability in our tax code. This stability helps us confidently invest, grow, and create high quality manufacturing jobs right here in north central Iowa. Immediate R&D expensing has been especially valuable. Innovation is core to what we do here at Sukup. We hold more than 100 patents and our safety-home product now provides durable housing around the world. Being able to expense R&D right away means we can invest more in engineering talent and product development here in Iowa, keeping innovation moving today. These provisions have real-world results. After the 2017 tax reforms, we increased annual capital spending from about $5 million to nearly $15 million annually, expanded our facilities, and added more than 200 quality jobs. Looking ahead, maintaining these policies will help us keep investing in automation, facility upgrades, and workforce development -- supporting strong wages, benefits, and childcare for our employees." -- Tom Mangan, President and CEO, Sukup Manufacturing
Allied PhotoChemical (Macomb, Michigan) -- Expensing helps the company create new formulas and processes for American manufacturers and helping to expand manufacturing capacity:
"The Working Families Tax Cuts Act has had a direct and meaningful impact on our business. Two provisions in particular are helping us grow and invest right here in Michigan. The first is the R&D expensing provision. Much of what we do involves creating new formulas and new processes for our customers -- U.S. manufacturers -- to become more efficient. In the past, complex R&D tax rules made that investment more difficult, and now we're more certain about investing in research and development. Second, the immediate expensing provision is giving us momentum. It's encouraged us to expand our manufacturing capacity and we're seeing the same from our customers. American manufacturers are launching more capital projects and that activity is driving growth for all of us. It is creating a virtuous circle: Our customers invest, and then we invest, and the entire ecosystem becomes stronger. We are also seeing a resurgence in onshoring. Projects that had previously moved overseas are now coming back to the U.S. But for them to stay here, these operations need to be efficient, competitive and reliable. That's where we come in. Our technology helps make these projects sustainable long term. This growth translates into real opportunities. More jobs, bigger facilities, and increased economic activity. And it is not just the businesses that benefit. The Working Families Tax Cut Act is also helping our employees. By making the larger standard deduction and the enhanced child tax credit permanent, this Act is allowing our team members to keep more of what they earn. Many of them have young families, and reducing the financial pressure and increasing their quality of life is deeply important to us." -- Dan Sweetwood, President of Allied PhotoChemical
Western Trailers (Boise, Idaho) -- Expensing is helping with facilities expansion and job creation:
"Building semi-trailers is a massive operation, and we currently have 38 acres and more than 200,000 square feet of building space, with more than 20 acres planned for future expansions in Fruitland, Idaho. Immediate expensing of both equipment and production facilities lowers the costs of those investments, supporting our ability to continue to invest and create jobs in the community we've operated in for more than 50 years." -- Clint Whitehead, President of Western Trailers, as documented in the National Association of Manufacturers' 2026 Manufacturing Tax Wins Across America report
HM Manufacturing (Wauconda, Illinois) -- $645,000 purchase of new machining equipment and the creation of five new jobs:
"Beyond tax savings, which can be reinvested back into job creation and worker benefits, the law provides what Main Street needs most: certainty. With tax savings now locked in, entrepreneurs can plan for the years ahead -- making long-term investments that will help to shape communities for decades to come.
But what truly sets this law apart is the restoration of full and immediate expensing for capital equipment. This provision is a game changer for my company.
We're now moving forward with a $645,000 investment in new machining equipment that will allow us to take on more complex projects, many of which have recently been reshored from overseas. These new capabilities are about staying ahead of the curve in a fast-moving industry.
With these new machines comes new jobs. To support this expansion, we're planning to hire five team members: three skilled machinists, a shipping specialist and a receiving specialist." - Sept. 8, 2025 Chicago Sun-Times letter to the editor by Nicole Wolter, president and CEO of HM manufacturing
Martin Sustainable Resources (Alexandria, Louisiana) -- Equipment upgrades and facilities expansion:
"In Louisiana, reinvestment is how we keep mills running, timber moving and building products flowing to customers across the country. Recent modernization projects in Oakdale and Chopin show what that looks like in practice--new production equipment, press upgrades, robotics, scanning technology, kilns and facility improvements that help our teams produce plywood and OSB more efficiently. The Working Families Tax Cuts are helping to fuel modernization at our company. Full expensing for facilities and equipment strengthens our ability to keep making long-term investments, and estate tax relief helps protect the continuity of a family-owned company rooted in Louisiana for generations." -- E. Scott Poole, CEO, as documented in the National Association of Manufacturers' 2026 Manufacturing Tax Wins Across America report
Camping World (Lincolnshire, Illinois) - Expanded facilities and operations:
Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis also commented on how provisions from the new legislation are affecting business operations: "The deductible interest is helping us put more money directly into building new facilities, expanding operations, and hiring more American workers," Lemonis said. "Our customers travel in America, spend in America, and support American-made experiences. This legislation is a powerful signal that this administration understands the strength and impact of our industry." - August 7, 2025 South Bend Times
Novelis, Inc. (Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia with construction of new facility in Bay Minette, Alabama) -- Expensing is helping with the construction of large new aluminum plant in Alabama:
"Our greenfield plant in Alabama required an enormous amount of upfront investment to purchase specialized equipment and materials on a large scale, and the end result will be the largest aluminum plant of its kind in the U.S., bolstering domestic manufacturing and displacing imports. The business tax provisions in H.R. 1, [Working Families Tax Cut/One Big Beautiful Bill Act] such as immediate equipment expensing and expanded interest deductions, have been hugely beneficial and helped accelerate our cost recovery on capital while we work to bring the plant online." -- Dev Ahuja, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, as documented in the National Association of Manufacturers' 2026 Manufacturing Tax Wins Across America report.
Beauty Society (North Las Vegas, Nevada) -- Investment in new machinery, improved efficiency, expanded production:
"There's nothing that feels better than being able to channel tax savings into the business. This year, we were able to do so. We bought multiple pieces of machinery that we wouldn't have bought in previous years because we get to see the tax benefits and that has helped us become more efficient, grow, create more products at a better affordable price. And we're able to pass that on to our consumers." - April 16, 2026, Joel Rottman, President, as reported by FOX5 Las Vegas
Brewfontaine restuarant and The Syndicate restaurant (Bellefontaine, Ohio) -- investment in staff, equipment and operations; expanded patio area:
"The Big Beautiful Bill has helped us keep more of our resources within our four walls, which means we invest in our staff, upgrade equipment and continue improving the overall guest experience." -- Adam Rammel, owner of Brewfontaine and The Syndicate, testimonial to Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council published April 2, 2026 [video]
Printed Solid (Wilmington, Delaware) -- Expensing is helping the company create jobs and expand facilities and manufacturing capacity:
"For a company defending and expanding western production, certainty matters. The Working Families Tax Cuts Act helps us plan and build with confidence. Provisions like full expensing directly support the massive capital investments we've made to expand our Prusa 3D printer manufacturing capacity tenfold, add jobs and secure high-quality 3D printing technology here in the U.S." -- Samuel Vavrek, COO as documented in the National Association of Manufacturers' 2026 Manufacturing Tax Wins Across America report.
Wideman Pools (Festus, Missouri) -- Investment in $50,000 in new equipment, plus wage increases and profit-sharing bonuses:
"We have increased wages across the board by 10 percent and purchased over fifty thousand in new equipment for our businesses. We are also giving our employees a profit-sharing bonus this year." - April 20, 2026, Rodney, Wideman Pools, as quoted by the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance
B&W Hardware (Wake Forest, North Carolina) -- 18% increase in sales, investment in store improvements, and wage increases including a $2.50 hourly raise:
"The Working Families Tax Cuts has made a real difference. This January, our sales were up 18% compared to last year, which tells me people have a little more breathing room and they're spending it right here in our community. On the business side, the return of 100% bonus depreciation helped us invest back into the store. We recently raised wages because when our business does well, we want our people to do well, too." - April 8, 2026, Joe Kimray, Owner, B&W Hardware, as reported by the House Republican Conference
Liberty Landscape Supply (Jacksonville, Florida) -- Equipment and truck purchases, job creation and business expansion:
Mike's company operates six locations in the Jacksonville area and employs 170 people. He shared that the new tax law "provided me the freedom to grow" by removing the uncertainty around whether the 20% small business deduction would remain in place. Combined with enhanced expensing for investment, that certainty has helped him make both short-term and long-term business decisions with greater confidence.
Working with his tax advisor, Mike was able to accelerate a long-term growth project into an immediate expansion. Savings from the new tax law allowed him to purchase a truck and hire an operator to add pest control services that customers had requested for years. He made clear that he would not have moved forward without the support of the new tax law.
Liberty Landscape Supply is also planning to acquire another nursery in Tallahassee, FL, with 82 employees. The deal is expected to close in April 2026 and would not have happened without pro-growth tax policy. -- April 15, 2026, Mike Zaffaroni, Owner, Liberty Landscape Supply, as reported in testimony before the House Committee on Small Business
Kaddas Enterprises (Salt Lake City, Utah) -- New equipment and expansion. OBBBA's expensing provisions were a key factor in the recent expansion of this family manufacturing business:
Kaddas Enterprise is a second-generation family manufacturing business located in Salt Lake City, UT. Kaddas Enterprise is undergoing its 3rd expansion in the past seven years and sells their products across the US and into 17 countries worldwide. Natalie calls immediate Research & Development (R&D) expensing "the essential to maintain our competitive advantage within our business." When the tax code required her to amortize R&D costs instead of deducting them right away, it tied up cash and amounted to an estimated tax liability by 35%.
With the Working Families Tax Cut Act's restoration of full, immediate expensing for U.S.-based R&D, she can now keep more working capital in the business and reinvest in operational improvements that support energy resiliency. Most importantly, she emphasized that making R&D expensing permanent gave her and her employees the confidence to launch their latest expansion. -- April 15, 2026, Natalie Kaddas, CEO, Kaddas Enterprises, as reported in testimony before the House Committee on Small Business
Mekky Media Relations (Chicago, Illinois) -- Investment in business expansion tools and new employee benefits such as maternity leave and a 401(k) matching program:
Michelle leads Mekky Media Relations, a public relations firm in Chicago, IL that employs 10 people. She said the new tax law is giving her the certainty to invest more aggressively in her people and her company. By making the 20% pass-through deduction permanent, Michelle gained the confidence it takes to make longer-term investments in employee benefits. This year, she launched paid maternity leave for the first time and is now moving forward with a 401(k)-matching program.
She also described reinvesting in growth tools, including AI technologies to better serve clients, and extending leadership coaching for senior talent. While her industry isn't equipment-heavy, she noted that improved expensing and stronger cash flow will support future investments in computers and systems as the business scales, helping her continue to elevate the company and the services it provides. -- April 15, 2026, Michelle Mekky, Owner, Mekky Media Relations, as reported in testimony before the House Committee on Small Business
Vicci Inc. (Fitchburg, Wisconsin) -- Business expansion and job creation:
VICCI oversees motorsports brands, including the engineering and manufacturing company, Riley Technologies, and Kellymoss, the winningest team in Porsche racing. Victoria shared the impact of reinstating immediate expensing for U.S.-based R&D. By allowing eligible businesses to amend tax returns for refunds on previously amortized R&D, Victoria's team is unlocking more than six figures to grow, hire, and innovate.
Victoria also pointed to evidence that the Working Families Tax Cut Act is strengthening American manufacturing demand across the supply chain. She is in the process of acquiring a 155,000-square-foot facility in North Carolina to meet customer demand. -- April 15, 2026, Victoria Thomas, President, VICCI Inc., as reported in testimony before the House Committee on Small Business
Russell's Convenience / Russell's Xpress (Denver, Colorado) -- Doubling store size, reopening two locations, and increasing workforce by 50% through expansion:
"The tax provisions in the bill are a critical part of my plan... Bonus depreciation alone will help me double the size of my most profitable store. That will allow me to add five more employees... The numbers now make sense for me to reopen two of my stores... All told, I expect to increase my employee numbers by 50 percent or more." - April 22, 2026, Raymond Huff, President, HJB Convenience Corp, as reported by the House Ways and Means Committee
Peg Leg Porker bbq restaurant (Nashville, Tennessee) -- Equipment purchases:
(Pictured above: Carey Bringle, owner of Peg Leg Porker)
"The section 179 deduction is huge at 100%. It allows business owners like me to say, alright, before the end of the year I'm going to buy a new truck, a new catering van, I'm going to buy to a new smoker, I'm going to invest more in my business, which can create more jobs, which drives revenue for other industries. Just nationwide as a whole it's great for American made products. It's just great for business all around. That ability to write it off in the year that you buy it and negate a lot of taxes because of that is huge.
If I can go buy a $200,000 piece of equipment, well now I'm buying something from another business who is going to benefit. It's going to help me expand my business operations, which is going to help me benefit. It's probably going to create some more jobs, not only from my business but for the other business I buy it from. And now my tax burden is reduced to the federal government. Because instead of giving that money to Uncle Sam, to spend on God knows what, now I'm giving it to another business.
I'm able to take the deduction and invest it into myself and my business that I know is going to create jobs. Other than being great tax policy, it's a feel-good policy for a business owner to feel better about the money that you're earning. Business owners want to invest, they want to create more. If you're a natural entrepreneur, you want to keep going. When the federal government deincentivizes you to keep going because the more you grow the more you get taxed, that's when business grinds to a halt. So deductions like this are paramount to businesses thriving in their communities." -- Carey Bringle, owner of Peg Leg Porker, testimonial to Americans for Tax Reform.
Vermeer Corporation (Pella, Iowa) - Factory expansion and job creation:
Businesses also can now immediately deduct capital expenditures under the new law.
Those provisions will help Vermeer invest in multimillion-dollar machining centers and likely add "hundreds of thousands" of square feet of new factory space, Andringa said. The company is already finishing a South Carolina expansion project.
The prospect of such a massive expansion goes to show "the importance of it (the tax cuts) being permanent," Miller-Meeks said.
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Jason Andringa, president and CEO of Vermeer, said those tax provisions were helping drive investment at the Pella-based industrial and agricultural equipment manufacturer.
"The One Big beautiful Bill, the Working Families Tax Act, H.R. 1, however you want to call it, has been very beneficial for Vermeer, our dealers and our customers," Andringa told The Gazette.
He said provisions encouraging research and development, equipment expensing and factory construction contributed to Vermeer's decision to build a new manufacturing facility in Bondurant.
The company currently leases a 100,000-square-foot facility in Des Moines. Andringa said Vermeer planned to move that operation to its new Bondurant facility, which will be roughly three times as large and create an additional 150 to 200 jobs.
Vermeer's overall business is growing by double digits, Andringa said, driven largely by its industrial equipment business serving infrastructure installation, organic waste processing and other markets. - Aug. 19, 2025 Des Moines Register and Aug. 12, 2026 Quad-City Times article
Sylvamo Corporation (Memphis, Tennessee) - Significant facilities expansion:
"Thanks to tax provisions in the OBBBA, we are investing to expand our U.S. operations.
This substantial impact for Sylvamo is rippling throughout the manufacturing sector, with the expansion in investment capacity resulting from the OBBBA enabling thousands of manufacturers across the country to invest more in their communities, offer higher pay or better benefits to their employees, conduct cutting-edge research, and create jobs. Achieving the manufacturing revitalization that this Congress and this Administration seek begins with a tax code that supports manufacturing investment, and that's exactly what the One Big Beautiful Bill Act delivered."
"Provisions such as immediate expensing for research, equipment, and facilities, a 21% corporate tax rate, and a modern international tax framework enabled us to invest and expand. A permanent, competitive tax structure is essential for continuing these job-creating investments."
"Specifically, investments announced in 2025 include:
- $100 million investment by Sylvamo to expand capacity at our Eastover, SC mill, adding 60,000 short tons annually;
- $45 million investment by Sylvamo in a new sheeter at our Sumter, SC plant to enhance efficiency and product quality; and
- $70 million investment by Arkansas-based The Price Companies, which will modernize and operate the woodyard at the Eastover, SC mill for Sylvamo--a critical step to strengthen the company." - December 3, 2025 written testimony of Agnes Webb, Vice President of Tax at Sylvamo, submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee [Video]
1920 Tavern (Roswell, Georgia) - Equipment purchases and pay raises:
"It restores 100% immediate expensing, allowing us to invest more in our equipment and our incredible staff, whom I consider family. These tax cuts have been game-changers for small businesses like mine. Savings allowed us to purchase new equipment, new flooring and tabletops that were handmade by a local wood maker. They also allowed us to hire more staff and give our longtime employees much-deserved raises." - Jenna Aronowitz, owner of 1920 Tavern, in a Nov. 13, 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Op-Ed
Vance Truck Accessories (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) - Higher employee wages + bonuses, sponsorship of local youth baseball, football, and softball programs; local charitable giving:
"I run a small truck accessories company that specializes in American-made products. But I chose the worst possible time to set up shop. The year was 2016, and the economy wasn't doing great. I was basically broke, and every day was a struggle to find customers, hire workers and even keep my doors open. Taxes didn't help. Small businesses face a big burden. It was painful to watch the money I needed go out the door to Washington, D.C.
But then President Trump and Congress stepped up. In 2017, they passed a historic tax cut for small businesses, called the Small Business Deduction. Ever since, I've been able to deduct about 20% of my business income every year. Without this relief, I'd be at a huge disadvantage compared to big businesses. Their taxes are lower, and I need a level playing field to compete.
But my tax cut wasn't permanent. My taxes were going to go back to their original painful level at the end of this year. Thankfully, the Small Business Deduction is permanently in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act the president signed on the Fourth of July.
To understand why this permanent tax cut matters, consider what I've been able to do since it was originally passed in 2017. One of the first things I did with the tax cut was move my business into a better part of town. I couldn't have done it without the extra money. The new location has helped me find more customers and give them a better experience.
I've also been able to pay my team more. Higher wages help them stick around, instead of getting poached by bigger competitors with more money. I've also been able to give them annual bonuses because of the tax cut.
But the most meaningful thing I've done with the extra money is give back to Oklahoma City. I love this city. I want it to be the best place in America for the next generation. So, I've sponsored baseball, football and softball programs at our local schools. I've also donated to the Oklahoma First Responder Wellness Division, helping our local heroes get the mental health care they need. I couldn't do any of this if my taxes rose at the end of this year.
But now I don't have to worry about that. Those 20% savings have helped me build the small business I always dreamed about. Now that the Small Business Deduction is permanent, I can dream even bigger. I'm going to keep giving back and investing in my team, my community and my country's future.
And it's not just me. Tens of millions of other small businesses can now do the exact same thing. Studies show that small businesses will now create more than 1.2 million new jobs a year because they have the confidence and cash to grow and give back. I look forward to playing my part. I couldn't be more grateful that my small business has been empowered for the next 10 years and beyond." - Statement of Chris Vance, owner, as published in The Oklahoman newspaper on Aug. 11, 2025
Artic Air Heating & Cooling, Inc. (Phoenix, Arizona):
"Now we're making entirely different decisions, thanks to the permanent tax cut. We've put in place new plans to grow and give back to our community.
To get a sense of what small businesses like ours are now empowered to do, consider what we did after the initial tax cut eight years ago. To start, it let us pay off our small business loan at a much faster rate, ultimately getting it off our books. Now, we can use the extra money to invest in our operations and workers.
The tax cut also helped us invest in new equipment. Some new fleet trucks. A new forklift for the warehouse. A slew of new tools, including top-quality welders. These investments have helped us be more proficient in bidding against bigger businesses with more resources. Now, with a permanent tax cut, we can invest and compete with even more confidence.
And most importantly, we're better able to help our workers thrive. Over the few years, the tax cut enabled us to give our workers an unanticipated but much-needed raise, retaining the people we need to succeed. We were even able to pay a greater share of their health care costs. Now, with permanent relief, increased wage hikes are manageable for the foreseeable future.
None of this would be possible if D.C. had let this tax relief expire. We would have had to raise prices and cut costs, and over time, the pressure would have only increased. No wonder 95% of Americans were worried about the damage if the Small Business Deduction expired. Now they don't have to worry, and studies show that small businesses like ours will create 1.2 million jobs a year thanks to this relief." - October 3, 2025 Phoenix Independent
Sergio's Cuban American Kitchen (Florida) - Two new restaurant locations and 100 new jobs:
But thanks to the recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, independent restaurants are poised to thrive - benefiting employees, customers and the community alike. For Sergio's Restaurants, my family small business, that means moving ahead with plans to open two new restaurant locations and hire approximately 100 new team members over the next year.
How? The new federal law restores 100% immediate expensing for capital equipment, which allows us to fully deduct the cost of appliances like ovens and refrigerators the year we buy it. The policy incentivizes small businesses to invest in operational expansion now, rather than waiting and kicking the can down the road.
Additionally, the law also makes the 20% small business deduction that was set to expire permanent and locks in lower tax rates for pass-through enterprises. (These are entities in which business revenue is taxed as the owner's personal income.)
The changes give restaurants like ours the long-term tax certainty we need to grow confidently and create jobs, as well as provide existing staff room for career development.
But arguably the most impactful part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for restaurants is the "no tax on tips" provision.
Under this new rule, tipped workers can deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their taxable income. In Florida, the average restaurant server earns around $37,000 annually, more than 60% of which comes from gratuity. That means the "no taxes on tips" policy could eliminate a huge chunk of their federal income tax burden. That's a savings of around $2,000 per year back in the pockets of the restaurant servers and bartenders who power our industry.
This is more than just a win for employees, it's a game-changer for employers too. This significant savings functions like a raise for workers, without increasing the cost of labor for restaurants and bars. At a time when the service industry is fighting to attract and retain talent, this new tax-savings tool makes our sector more competitive and helps level the playing field against other industries. - Aug. 15, 2025 Fox Business Network column
Slate Auto (Warsaw, Indiana) - New jobs and factory renovation:
Slate Auto CEO Chris Barman and several others spoke during a brief ceremony at the facility at 2801 W. Old U.S. 30, before tours were given of the plant renovation.
Barman said plans are to open toward the end of 2026. The plant will employ more than 2,000 people and is estimated to bring in $39 billion in revenue over 20 years to the state.
U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym, who represents the Second District in Indiana, which encompasses Kosciusko County, emphasized Slate's made-in-America status.
"This is what happens when we pass landmark legislation (in Congress) like our One Big, Beautiful Bill, and we're hoping more opportunities like this come to fruition in the future right here in the Hoosier state," he said. "Our bill cuts red tape, rewards innovation and makes sure that America, not our adversaries like China, leads the way in the auto industry. This could not have happened without not only Slate's willingness to make investments, but also without the local elected officials who are here who spent a lot of time rolling out the red carpet to make sure that Slate Auto knew that this was the place for them to do business."
"Slate is proof that when we keep the made-in-America provisions strong, companies step up and they build right here at home," he added.
"When I think about a company like Slate Auto, a few of the provisions we put in the (Big, Beautiful Bill), things like ... a brand new made-in-America provision where a company like this can take an old factory, rehab it and be able to depreciate 100% of that expense in Year 1, it's such a big deal to allow companies to make products here in America instead of allowing China to lead the way in things like auto production," Yakym said after the ceremony. - August 28, 2025 Indiana Times-Union article
Wyoming Machine Inc. (Stacy, Minnesota) - Purchase of new equipment including a fiber optic welding machine:
"Before this reform, smaller manufacturers could deduct only 40% of the cost of major technology purchases in the first year and 20% in the second. The new rules allow full deduction up front, whether investing in cutting-edge fiber optic laser welding or other advanced tools.
For Tapani, the purchase of a new fiber optic laser welding machine, enabled by passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, not only boosts productivity but also addresses chronic shortages in highly trained welders. Fiber optic welding is easier to use and less damaging to materials, allowing Wyoming Machine to serve a wider array of customers and industries." - United States Chamber of Commerce
William Thiele, dairy farmer (Cabot, Pennsylvania) - Grain bin replacement for improved storage capacity and support of food quality:
"I'm a dairy farmer. I'm excited President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill back on July 4. And that really helps farmers like myself because on farms like mine we always have a lot of projects going on and one that we have going on here is we tore down a grain bin actually yesterday and we are going to be building a new one here soon. And so my family and I would not have had the confidence to have a project like this done if it wasn't for the One Big Beautiful Bill to help us with a project like this to improve our grain holding capacity. Remember, if we don't have quality food here, then we can't have a growing nation like we have now, so you always got to support farmers from all over America." - William Thiele, Aug. 7, 2025
U.S. Metal Powders, Inc. (Palmerton, Pennsylvania) - New job creation and company expansion:
"Thanks to this transformative tax legislation, U.S. Metal Powders has already broken ground on adding another production line--which will soon double the company's workforce. This is pro-growth tax policy in action." -- David N. Taylor, President & CEO, Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association, Aug. 8, 2025 press release
Cemen Tech (Indianola, Iowa) - New equipment purchases and expanded production:
"At Cemen Tech in Indianola, company leadership shared how the 100% immediate expensing provisions are giving them certainty to reinvest in new equipment and expand production and employees told me they appreciated knowing the company could continue to thrive." - August 25, 2025 Southeast Iowa Union newspaper
Alphabet, Inc. (Mountain View, California) - OBBBA's expensing provisions are helping the company create jobs and build data centers in South Carolina, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Virginia, and other locations:
"Changes to U.S. tax law enacted on July 4, 2025, allow, among other things, for immediate expensing of domestic research and experimentation costs and accelerated depreciation on eligible capital expenditures, the effects of which are included in operating cash flows for the three months ended September 30, 2025." - Alphabet 3rd quarter 2025 results, released Oct. 29, 2025
Amgen (Thousand Oaks, California) -- $600 million construction of a new U.S. science and innovation center in California; $900 million expansion to the company's Ohio manufacturing facility; $1 billion for construction of a new North Carolina manufacturing facility; $650 million additional expansion to the U.S. manufacturing network; creation of new jobs:
"Amgen today announced plans to invest more than $600 million in a new, state-of-the-art center for science and innovation at its global headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California.
The center is designed to bring together researchers, engineers and scientists across disciplines to enhance collaboration and accelerate the discovery of next-generation therapeutics for patients with the most serious diseases. The building will feature advanced automation and digital capabilities, empowering scientists with the tools and environment needed to drive scientific excellence and advancements in biotechnology.
Amgen's long-standing commitment to U.S. innovation and state-of-the-art operations is reflected in more than $40 billion invested in manufacturing and research and development since the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. This investment includes over $5 billion in direct capital expenditures in the U.S. The enactment of pro-growth tax policies in TCJA, extended and reinforced by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, further facilitates Amgen's ability to invest domestically in cutting-edge science and manufacturing. -- Sept. 2, 2025 Amgen company press release
"Amgen today announced a $900 million expansion of its Ohio manufacturing facility, bringing the total number of jobs created to 750 and the total investment in Central Ohio to over $1.4 billion.
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"Since passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Amgen has invested almost $5 billion in direct capital expenditures in the United States, generating an additional downstream output to the U.S. economy of approximately $12 billion." -- April 25, 2025 Amgen company press release
"Amgen today announced a $650 million expansion of its U.S. manufacturing network, creating hundreds of new jobs.
The planned investment will support increased drug production at the company's biologics manufacturing facility in Juncos and integrate innovative advanced technologies throughout the operations process. It is expected to create nearly 750 jobs, including construction roles and new highly skilled manufacturing jobs.
"This expansion underscores Amgen's commitment to U.S. biomanufacturing and to strengthening the resilience of our global supply chain," said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer at Amgen. "By growing our capacity to deliver innovative medicines with cutting edge technology in our manufacturing plants, we will not only better serve patients but also create high-quality jobs that reinforce America's leadership in biotechnology."
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Amgen's long-standing commitment to U.S. innovation and state-of-the-art operations is reflected in more than $40 billion invested in manufacturing and research and development since the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. The enactment of pro-growth tax policies in TCJA, extended and reinforced by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, further facilitates Amgen's ability to invest domestically in cutting-edge science and manufacturing.
This announcement builds on Amgen's recent investments, including a $600 million science and innovation center in California and manufacturing expansions of $900 million in Ohio and $1 billion in North Carolina, respectively. -- Sept. 26, 2025 Amgen company press release
Laser Marking Technologies LLC (Caro, Michigan) -- Facility expansion:
Expensing "will allow us to invest into the future and immediately allow us to double our manufacturing space." "If I can expense our manufacturing additions and new buildings that we need to build so we can supply the machinery for the U.S. -- we can do that and immediately write that off. And that means something. Because that puts it right back into our local economy." -- Sam Palmeter, President of Engineering and New Product Development.
i2M (Mountaintop, Pennsylvania):
"Manufacturers are innovators. By restoring immediate R&D expensing for manufacturers across America, Congress has empowered manufacturers like i2M to innovate and create. That's how we keep our competitive edge--not just as a company, but as a country." -- i2M founder Chris Hackett
Todd Olsen, rancher (Lewistown, Montana):
"Ranching is a gamble and an ever-changing tax code does not make our job easier. The One Big Beautiful Bill gives us multi-year certainty on expensing rules and ag-specific provisions. We can finally plan ahead with more confidence -- and that helps with our business decisions across the board." -- Todd Olsen
Patti Marine Enterprises, Inc. (Pensacola, Florida):
"The full deductibility of the new construction and the 100% immediate expensing of equipment and the extension of the Trump tax cuts allows us to reinvest directly into our workforce, our facilities, and to grow our future." -- Frank Patti Jr.
Click Bond, Inc. (Carson City, Nevada) -- Equipment purchases and employee pay and benefits:
"The OBBBA makes permanent the pro-growth tax policies from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, reinstating expired provisions on a permanent basis and preventing further damaging expirations. It also expands key incentives-- such as the change that will allow us to immediately expense new or improved production facilities. This historic law ensures a pro-growth tax code for manufacturers, ensuring that we can continue to offer the pay and benefits for our workers that allow them to build lifelong, family-supporting manufacturing careers." -- July 25, 2025 written testimony of Austin Robinson, Director of Manufacturing, Click Bond Inc. -- U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means Field Hearing on the One, Big, Beautiful Bill -- Delivering for American Workers -- Las Vegas, Nevada
Bear Valley Ranch (Parkfield, California) expensing provisions will help with equipment and capital purchases:
"Agriculture requires significant investments in machinery, equipment, and other depreciable assets and because of this, farmers and ranchers place great value on tax code provisions such as the Section 179 small business deduction. The ability to immediately expense purchases of equipment provide an incentive for farmers and ranchers to invest in their businesses. The increase of the Section 179 limitation to $2.5 million included in the One Big Beautiful Bill is a much-needed update to this tool which will help cattle producers make larger investments.
Section 179 helps cattle producers with difficult cash flow struggles, lowers their marginal effective tax rate, and eliminates burdensome recordkeeping requirements associated with depreciation. 57 percent of NCBA Tax Survey respondents reported using Section 179 in the past 3 years, and 45 percent of respondents say they would have incurred an additional tax burden exceeding $20,000 if they did not have access to it.
Accelerated deductions allow cattle producers to deduct expenses faster, reducing the tax burden and freeing up capital farm businesses can use to grow. Bonus depreciation, also known as first-year expensing, allows a business to deduct the cost of an asset the year it is placed in service. Farmers and ranchers generally use bonus depreciation when expenditures exceed the Section 179 small business deduction limits. 100 percent bonus depreciation was established in 2017, but it had been phasing out for several years. Reinstating this tool permanently will help cattle producers make essential investments without the burden of delayed tax benefits.
These improved tax incentives allow farmers to immediately write off capital investments, such as a new combine or tractor, and keep thousands of dollars in their bottom line. In addition to equipment purchases, other eligible items may include the purchase of "off-the-shelf" computer software, and breeding livestock." -- July 26, 2025 testimony of Kevin Kester, owner of Bear Valley Ranch, on behalf of National Cattlemen's Beef Association, submitted to House Ways and Means Committee
Robinson Helicopter Company, Inc. (Torrance, California) --
"The OBBBA restored immediate equipment expensing to the 100% level--and made this pro-growth, pro-manufacturing policy permanent. Thanks to the OBBBA, manufacturers and their associated suppliers now have both the policy tools and the certainty needed to compete in this capital-intensive industry.
For Robinson Helicopter, this means being able to carry out our plans to grow our business and create jobs faster. We are acquiring a new Torrance based warehouse very close to our Zamperini Field based headquarters that will allow us to expand our logistics capabilities and more effectively serve the maintenance needs of our customers. We expect that this expansion will lead to additional equipment purchases and increased workforce for this new space. The same is true for the expanded production lines we have planned, which will require a significant amount of research to develop both the best product and a cost-effective, scalable manufacturing processes. Once that process has been developed, it needs to be executed with significant investment in tools, equipment, and workers.
Full and immediate expensing of equipment positively impacts not only our ability to compete and grow our products and services, but also the workforce we will need to hire to operate our expanded manufacturing and logistics capability. That's going to be true across the manufacturing sector, where full expensing leads to lower costs of investment, more equipment purchases, accelerated workforce hiring, and an overall more competitive labor market and associated wages.
Across the economy, the TCJA accelerated U.S. job growth by 1.5 percentage points--a
significant nominal increase representing hundreds of thousands of new nonfarm jobs. The TCJA also led to a 1.0 percentage point increase in the labor force participation rate, signifying hundreds of thousands of civilians entering the labor force. As you might expect in this type of tight labor market, in the two years after the TCJA's enactment, average earnings for production workers rose 6.0%, compared with just 4.9% for the two years prior to the TCJA.
This economic growth was a direct result of pro-investment policies like full expensing. And
now, in the OBBBA, Congress has made full expensing permanent. We've already seen how
these policies lead to economic growth, more jobs, and higher wages--and Robinson Helicopter is already rolling up our sleeves to take advantage of incentives like full expensing. For Robinson Helicopter, it's one of the most important components of this bill, and we look forward to helping deliver economic growth and job creation."
AT&T (Dallas, Texas) - Accelerating fiber infrastructure rollout and wireless services;
"AT&T plans to more quickly build fiber infrastructure thanks to pro-investment policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress today.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will spur investment, maintain U.S. leadership in innovation, and create economic opportunity nationwide. Thanks to the policies in this legislation, AT&T expects to invest more rapidly in next-generation networks after the bill is signed into law, increasing our investment by an additional 1 million fiber customer locations annually starting in 2026.
This bill also creates a pipeline of midband spectrum that will help meet soaring consumer demand and keep the U.S. technologically competitive with other countries. Paired with the tax provisions in the bill, this legislation paves the way for the stated goals laid out by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr: unleashing high-speed infrastructure builds and restoring America's global lead in wireless technology through smart policy." -- July 3, 2025 AT&T company statement
"AT&T expects to realize $6.5 to $8.0 billion of cash tax savings during 2025-2027 relative to the guidance it provided at its 2024 Analyst & Investor Day due to tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This reflects estimated savings of $1.5 to $2.0 billion in 2025 and $2.5 to $3.0 billion in each of 2026 and 2027.
The Company intends to invest $3.5 billion of these savings into its network to accelerate its fiber internet build-out to a pace of 4 million locations per year, a run-rate it expects to achieve by the end of 2026. As a result of this increased pace of organic fiber deployment, AT&T expects that by the end of 2030 it will reach approximately 50 million customer locations with its in-region fiber network and more than 60 million fiber locations when including the Lumen Mass Markets fiber assets it has agreed to acquire and plans to expand, its Gigapower joint venture, and agreements with other commercial open access providers.
AT&T also intends to contribute $1.5 billion of these savings to its employee pension plan by the end of 2026, which would result in approximately 95% funding of the plan. The remaining tax savings will add to AT&T's financial flexibility to support additional strategic investments, incremental capital returns and debt repayment, among other potential uses." -- July 23, 2025 company statement
Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, New Jersey) - Provides certainty for $55 billion in U.S. manufacturing investments:
"These very policies that just pass are the ones that have enabled our commitment to invest $55 billion in the US in the next four years. And our goal is to be able to manufacture in the US, all the medicines that are consumed in the US at the completion of that plan and we are on our way of being able to do that."
"We are pleased that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act provides certainty for our previously announced $55 billion commitment to invest here in the United States. This includes provisions such as permanent expensing for domestic R&D spend, permanent bonus depreciation, and 100% expensing of qualified production property, including our newly planned facility in North Carolina." - Joseph Wolk, Executive VP and CFO, July 16, 2025 earnings call.
Turk Stovall, rancher (Billings, Montana) -- equipment upgrades and other ranch investment:
"Because the One Big Beautiful Bill let's us fully expense valuable and necessary investments under Section 179 and 100% bonus depreciation, our ranch will be able to upgrade equipment, increasing our efficiency without being hit by a huge tax burden. That kind of flexibility matters in a ranch like ours." -- Turk Stovall
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Original text here: https://atr.org/expensing/
[Category: Political]
Altru Announces Heather Strandell as Chief Operating Officer
GRAND FORKS, North Dakota, Aug. 14 -- The Altru Health System issued the following news on Aug. 13, 2026:
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Altru Announces Heather Strandell as Chief Operating Officer
Altru Health System announced today that Heather Strandell has been selected to serve as the organization's chief operating officer (COO), effective September 7. In this role, Heather will have executive oversight over inpatient and outpatient operations.
"We are thrilled to have Heather join our executive team and continue the excellent leadership she's provided to Altru for over 22 years," shared Todd Forkel, CEO of Altru. ... Show Full Article GRAND FORKS, North Dakota, Aug. 14 -- The Altru Health System issued the following news on Aug. 13, 2026: * * * Altru Announces Heather Strandell as Chief Operating Officer Altru Health System announced today that Heather Strandell has been selected to serve as the organization's chief operating officer (COO), effective September 7. In this role, Heather will have executive oversight over inpatient and outpatient operations. "We are thrilled to have Heather join our executive team and continue the excellent leadership she's provided to Altru for over 22 years," shared Todd Forkel, CEO of Altru."Heather is incredibly skilled in process improvement and focused on patient-centered care. Combined with her depth of knowledge about the healthcare industry and organizational expertise, she is well-positioned to lead our operations and continue the pursuit of Altru's vision and fulfillment of our mission."
Heather brings 30 years of healthcare experience into this role, including oversight of a broad range of functional areas, such as primary and specialty care operations, care management, performance improvement and beyond. She has worked in leadership at Altru since 2004, most recently as senior director of clinic operations, quality and patient safety. Prior to joining Altru, she served as the executive director of the North Region Health Alliance.
Heather earned a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of North Dakota and also holds a lean certification from Villanova University. Outside of work, Heather is deeply involved in the community. She has served on the boards of Community Violence Intervention Center, Sharon Lutheran Church, MN/ND Alzheimer's Association, and was actively involved with school volunteering. Heather and her husband Jon have two sons, Sam and Leo.
"I am incredibly excited and deeply honored to step into the role of chief operating officer," expressed Heather Strandell. "Altru has been my professional home for many years, and I am continually inspired by our mission, and most importantly, the wonderful people who care for our patients and communities every day. As COO, I look forward to leading across both our inpatient and outpatient settings to help ensure a seamless, high-quality experience for every patient we serve. I remain dedicated to supporting our teams, advancing our strategic vision, and building on the strong foundation that makes Altru so special."
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Original text here: https://www.altru.org/press-center/press-releases/2026/altru-announces-heather-strandell-as-chief-operating-officer
[Category: Health Care]
* * *
Altru Announces Heather Strandell as Chief Operating Officer
Altru Health System announced today that Heather Strandell has been selected to serve as the organization's chief operating officer (COO), effective September 7. In this role, Heather will have executive oversight over inpatient and outpatient operations.
"We are thrilled to have Heather join our executive team and continue the excellent leadership she's provided to Altru for over 22 years," shared Todd Forkel, CEO of Altru. ... Show Full Article GRAND FORKS, North Dakota, Aug. 14 -- The Altru Health System issued the following news on Aug. 13, 2026: * * * Altru Announces Heather Strandell as Chief Operating Officer Altru Health System announced today that Heather Strandell has been selected to serve as the organization's chief operating officer (COO), effective September 7. In this role, Heather will have executive oversight over inpatient and outpatient operations. "We are thrilled to have Heather join our executive team and continue the excellent leadership she's provided to Altru for over 22 years," shared Todd Forkel, CEO of Altru."Heather is incredibly skilled in process improvement and focused on patient-centered care. Combined with her depth of knowledge about the healthcare industry and organizational expertise, she is well-positioned to lead our operations and continue the pursuit of Altru's vision and fulfillment of our mission."
Heather brings 30 years of healthcare experience into this role, including oversight of a broad range of functional areas, such as primary and specialty care operations, care management, performance improvement and beyond. She has worked in leadership at Altru since 2004, most recently as senior director of clinic operations, quality and patient safety. Prior to joining Altru, she served as the executive director of the North Region Health Alliance.
Heather earned a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of North Dakota and also holds a lean certification from Villanova University. Outside of work, Heather is deeply involved in the community. She has served on the boards of Community Violence Intervention Center, Sharon Lutheran Church, MN/ND Alzheimer's Association, and was actively involved with school volunteering. Heather and her husband Jon have two sons, Sam and Leo.
"I am incredibly excited and deeply honored to step into the role of chief operating officer," expressed Heather Strandell. "Altru has been my professional home for many years, and I am continually inspired by our mission, and most importantly, the wonderful people who care for our patients and communities every day. As COO, I look forward to leading across both our inpatient and outpatient settings to help ensure a seamless, high-quality experience for every patient we serve. I remain dedicated to supporting our teams, advancing our strategic vision, and building on the strong foundation that makes Altru so special."
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Original text here: https://www.altru.org/press-center/press-releases/2026/altru-announces-heather-strandell-as-chief-operating-officer
[Category: Health Care]
A Better Wisconsin Together: Editorial - Pay-to-Play Style Politics is the Tom Tiffany Way
MONONA, Wisconsin, Aug. 14 -- A Better Wisconsin Together, a state-based research and communications hub for progressives, posted the following news release:
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Editorial: Pay-to-Play Style Politics is the Tom Tiffany Way
Tiffany has repeatedly sold out the working people and middle class in Wisconsin for the benefit of the billionaires and special interests
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Last summer, Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany voted for a massive tax giveaway to billionaires, paid for by cuts to health care for seniors and working people, as well as food assistance for children. Now, Tiffany's campaign for ... Show Full Article MONONA, Wisconsin, Aug. 14 -- A Better Wisconsin Together, a state-based research and communications hub for progressives, posted the following news release: * * * Editorial: Pay-to-Play Style Politics is the Tom Tiffany Way Tiffany has repeatedly sold out the working people and middle class in Wisconsin for the benefit of the billionaires and special interests - Last summer, Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany voted for a massive tax giveaway to billionaires, paid for by cuts to health care for seniors and working people, as well as food assistance for children. Now, Tiffany's campaign forgovernor is being fueled by millions of dollars in campaign contributions from a handful of MAGA billionaires.
A look back at Tiffany's decades-long career in politics shows this was not the only time he sold out the people of Wisconsin to cash in on support from the wealthy and special interests.
As a member of Congress, Tiffany worked with a cabal of election deniers to try to overturn Donald Trump's 2020 election loss in court and by voting against certifying the votes of millions of Americans. More recently he refused to acknowledge the 2020 election result, and even backed paying off January 6 insurrectionists with our tax dollars. And sure enough, Illinois billionaire and underwriter of MAGA election denialism, Dick Uihlein, has doled out $7.5 million so far this year to support Tiffany.
In the state legislature, Tiffany voted for the largest cuts to public education in state history, including slashing over $20 million from schools in the district he was elected to represent. He also voted to send hundreds of millions more in funding to private voucher schools and to give a $30 million tuition tax break for wealthy people already sending their children to private schools. When campaign time came around, the special interest private school voucher industry spent big money to keep Tiffany in office with big individual donations and hundreds of thousands of dollars in television ads.
When mining special interests wanted to change state laws to loosen regulations and boost their bottom line, Tom Tiffany was there for them. And when the state's big business lobby wanted another tax giveaway, Tiffany authored the bill that would have given it to them, and stuck local property taxpayers with the $270 million tab. Is it any wonder that Tiffany got elected to the state senate thanks in part to the largesse of these same special interests?
Tom Tiffany didn't just play along to get along. It's even more outrageous, because he worked to rig the system even more to make it even easier for the billionaires and big corporate special interests to elect legislators to do their bidding and get their way.
As a member of the state senate, Tiffany voted to change Wisconsin's campaign finance laws to allow the wealthy and corporations to make unlimited donations to political parties and campaign committees. He also took it a step further, authoring the law to exempt politicians like himself from certain investigations of corruption.
Tom Tiffany has repeatedly sold out the working people and middle class in Wisconsin for the benefit of the billionaires and special interests that fund his campaigns. It's not an accident or a coincidence. It's a decades-long pattern of behavior.
* * *
A Better Wisconsin Together is a state-based research and communications hub for progressives and is an affiliate of ProgressNow.
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Original text here: https://abetterwisconsin.org/editorial-pay-to-play-style-politics-is-the-tom-tiffany-way/
[Category: Economics]
* * *
Editorial: Pay-to-Play Style Politics is the Tom Tiffany Way
Tiffany has repeatedly sold out the working people and middle class in Wisconsin for the benefit of the billionaires and special interests
-
Last summer, Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany voted for a massive tax giveaway to billionaires, paid for by cuts to health care for seniors and working people, as well as food assistance for children. Now, Tiffany's campaign for ... Show Full Article MONONA, Wisconsin, Aug. 14 -- A Better Wisconsin Together, a state-based research and communications hub for progressives, posted the following news release: * * * Editorial: Pay-to-Play Style Politics is the Tom Tiffany Way Tiffany has repeatedly sold out the working people and middle class in Wisconsin for the benefit of the billionaires and special interests - Last summer, Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany voted for a massive tax giveaway to billionaires, paid for by cuts to health care for seniors and working people, as well as food assistance for children. Now, Tiffany's campaign forgovernor is being fueled by millions of dollars in campaign contributions from a handful of MAGA billionaires.
A look back at Tiffany's decades-long career in politics shows this was not the only time he sold out the people of Wisconsin to cash in on support from the wealthy and special interests.
As a member of Congress, Tiffany worked with a cabal of election deniers to try to overturn Donald Trump's 2020 election loss in court and by voting against certifying the votes of millions of Americans. More recently he refused to acknowledge the 2020 election result, and even backed paying off January 6 insurrectionists with our tax dollars. And sure enough, Illinois billionaire and underwriter of MAGA election denialism, Dick Uihlein, has doled out $7.5 million so far this year to support Tiffany.
In the state legislature, Tiffany voted for the largest cuts to public education in state history, including slashing over $20 million from schools in the district he was elected to represent. He also voted to send hundreds of millions more in funding to private voucher schools and to give a $30 million tuition tax break for wealthy people already sending their children to private schools. When campaign time came around, the special interest private school voucher industry spent big money to keep Tiffany in office with big individual donations and hundreds of thousands of dollars in television ads.
When mining special interests wanted to change state laws to loosen regulations and boost their bottom line, Tom Tiffany was there for them. And when the state's big business lobby wanted another tax giveaway, Tiffany authored the bill that would have given it to them, and stuck local property taxpayers with the $270 million tab. Is it any wonder that Tiffany got elected to the state senate thanks in part to the largesse of these same special interests?
Tom Tiffany didn't just play along to get along. It's even more outrageous, because he worked to rig the system even more to make it even easier for the billionaires and big corporate special interests to elect legislators to do their bidding and get their way.
As a member of the state senate, Tiffany voted to change Wisconsin's campaign finance laws to allow the wealthy and corporations to make unlimited donations to political parties and campaign committees. He also took it a step further, authoring the law to exempt politicians like himself from certain investigations of corruption.
Tom Tiffany has repeatedly sold out the working people and middle class in Wisconsin for the benefit of the billionaires and special interests that fund his campaigns. It's not an accident or a coincidence. It's a decades-long pattern of behavior.
* * *
A Better Wisconsin Together is a state-based research and communications hub for progressives and is an affiliate of ProgressNow.
* * *
Original text here: https://abetterwisconsin.org/editorial-pay-to-play-style-politics-is-the-tom-tiffany-way/
[Category: Economics]