Rep. Becerra Legislation to Protect American Film Production Jobs is Signed into Law

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Rep Xavier Becerra opposed, and voted against, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (the recent big business "Bail Out") but applauds passage of an attached piece of legislation which he authored, an improved tax-credit for the film / tv industry.

October 9, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last Friday, the president signed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (H.R. 1424).  Included in the bill was the Runaway Productions Prevention Act (H.R. 3951), legislation authored by Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House and the only congressional member from Southern California on the Ways and Means Committee, that aims to protect and create moviemaking jobs by attracting film and television production projects back to the United States.

While Rep. Becerra voted against the flawed economic rescue bill, he is pleased to see that this important protection for American film workers was included in it.

"At such a distressing time for our economy I am pleased to see that we are finally leveling the playing field for American film workers by encouraging producers to continue making movies domestically,” Rep. Becerra said. “The improvements to this valuable tax credit, which I have advocated for, will have a lasting and positive impact on Southern California's economy.”

“When the general public considers the film and television industry, they often think of writers, producers, directors and actors.  In fact, the bulk of the movie production workforce is made up of people who work on everything from wardrobe, catering, and transportation, to set design and construction, props, and editing,” said Rep. Becerra.

The American film industry employs more than 1.3 million Americans and is a vital part of the California economy. In 2005, for example, California was the primary location for 365 film productions, which generated $42.2 billion in economic activity in the state. But the industry faces pressure to move production overseas because of tax incentives provided by other countries.

Rep. Becerra's Runaway Productions Prevention Act (H.R. 3951) strengthens incentives for producers to make movies in the U.S. by allowing an immediate tax write-off for the first $15 million of production costs, or the first $20 million of the cost of filming in distressed areas, regardless of the size of production.

This legislation was supported by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the Directors Guild of America (DGA), and the Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA), which collectively represent more than 130,000 professionals in the movie industry.

The 31st District of California includes parts of Hollywood, the capital of the American film industry.

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