Inflation Reduction Act
The Lobby Shop: An Exclusive Chat with FBI Agents Association President Tom O'Connor
This week, The Lobby Shop was honored with a visit from the President of the FBI Agents Association, Special Agent Tom O'Connor. We discuss developments within the Bureau and FBIAA since we last heard from Tom after Director Chris Wray's...
Advisory Committee Meetings May Add Insight to Policy Priorities
Oil and gas pipeline technical advisory committee meetings will be held on December 13-15 in Washington, D.C. The agenda covers updates on PHMSA pipeline safety programs and policy issues. The oil and gas peer review committees, comprised of federal and...
SLGS Window Closing; Tax Reform Continues to Threaten Public Finance
On December 6, 2017, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the suspension of sales of United States Treasury Obligations – State and Local Government Series (i.e., SLGS), effective 12:00 noon Eastern Time, Friday, December 8, 2017 . New subscriptions...
Former Mayor Charged by SEC and DOJ with Securities Fraud and Pay-to-Play Scheme
On December 1, 2017, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois charging David Webb, Jr. (“Webb”), mayor of Markham, Illinois from 2001 until May 3, 2017...
Disclosure Considerations and Tax Reform
The impact of tax reform is on the minds of many. While there are currently many unknowns, municipal issuers and conduit borrowers (collectively, “obligated persons”) should consider whether changes in tax law could impact their disclosure obligations. The Securities and...
U.S. Futures Exchanges Disciplinary Actions Report - October 2017
The Bracewell U.S. Futures Exchanges Disciplinary Actions Report is a monthly report that provides summaries of certain disciplinary notices by U.S. exchanges during the prior month. The report has a particular focus on notices potentially relevant to energy commodities and...
FERC Rejects Marketing Affiliate Petition
Can a marketing affiliate of an oil pipeline purchase transportation at the filed tariff rate and then re-sell this capacity at a lower, non-public rate without running afoul of the Interstate Commerce Act’s prohibition on rebates? On November 22, 2017...
CFTC Annual Enforcement Update
On November 22, 2017, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) released its annual enforcement report for fiscal year 2017. As in previous years, this year’s report highlights the agency’s continued commitment to enforcement and aggressive pursuit of those viewed as...
Congress and DOJ Consider Existing Protections as Pipeline Sabotage Increases
In response to questions from lawmakers on whether federal law adequately provides for the prosecution of “criminal activity against infrastructure,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently committed to “vigorously” prosecute those who damage “critical energy infrastructure in violation of federal...
Former Municipal Official in the Spotlight as SEC Files Complaint Charging Securities Fraud and DOJ Files Superseding Indictment Alleging Wire Fraud in Securities Offerings
On November 21, 2017, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed a complaint charging Oyster Bay, New York (the “Town”), along with its former Supervisor and Chief Executive Officer, John Venditto, with defrauding investors in Oyster Bay’s municipal securities...
FERC Annual Enforcement Update
FERC Annual Enforcement Update On November 16, 2017, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) released the Office of Enforcement’s (“OE”) annual report on enforcement activities (“ Annual Report ”) for fiscal year 2017 (“FY 2017”). Although the...
The Lobby Shop: Hired Guns: The World of Washington Lobbying
PRG Co-heads Dee Martin and Scott Segal, recently named Top Lobbyists of 2017 by The Hill, stop by to talk about what its like to lobby in Washington, what it takes to be an effective lobbyists, and how they got...
Executive Regulation on Value Added Tax in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates (“ UAE ”) Federal Tax Authority has recently published the draft Executive Regulations of Federal Decree Law No. 8 of 2017 on Value Added Tax (the “ VAT Law ”) which introduces a 5% VAT on...
Tax Reform Could Indirectly Eliminate Direct Pay Subsidy For Outstanding Tax Credit Bonds
An article released by The Bond Buyer on November 14, 2017, reports that, if Congress were to pass the proposed legislation released by the Committee on Ways and Means of the U.S. House of Representatives on November 2, 2017 (the...
The Impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on Executive Compensation
On November 9, 2017, the House Ways and Means Committee approved the House’s version of the tax reform bill (the “House Bill”) and voted to report it to the House floor for a full House vote. On the same day...