Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., plans to draft the legislation and hopes to introduce it by the end of the month, a spokesman said. While Weiner is likely to pick up supporters when the legislation is introduced, it is unclear how far the legislation will get. Weiner became interested in the tax-credit idea this year after he was approached by members of the Creative Coalition, who explained the runaway production problem to the lawmaker, Torrey said.
Filmmakers often prefer to make movies in countries that offer tax breaks and other incentives.
A similar measure introduced two years ago failed to win approval, but lawmakers, industry and guild executives hope the new measure will fare better. Former Ways and Means chairman Bill Archer, R-Texas, killed the measure in 1999 because of his philosophical objection to tax credits coupled with fears that the measure would benefit the pornographic movie industry. But that was then, and this is now. Archer has retired, and the chairman of the tax-writing panel is Rep. Bill Thomas, a California Republican. Supporters of the tax credit hope Thomas will look more kindly on legislation benefiting a home-grown industry.