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Home > Thought Leadership > Guest Post: Congressman Neal Event Recap & Preparing for Tax Reform
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Boston Chamber
  • Events
        • Events

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          • Events Calendar
          • Chamber Awards
          • New Chamber Event Series
        • ...
          Premier Event
          2025 Annual Meeting

          Join us for our highly anticipated Annual Meeting, Greater Boston's top business convening of the year.

          05/20/2025

          4:30pm - 8:00pm

          Omni Boston Hotel

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Pacesetters
          Doing Business with Columbia Construction

          This virtual event gives small business owners the chance to hear directly from procurement officers about opportunities to work with them.

          05/29/2025

          12:00pm - 1:00pm

          Virtual

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          City Awake
          Art of Connection: An Evening at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

          Join us for an exclusive networking event at the Museum of Fine Arts and enjoy self-guided tours of John Wilson and Van Gogh, showcasing the deep bond of family, friendship, and community.

          06/05/2025

          5:30pm - 8:30pm

          Museum of Fine Arts

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Learning & Development
        • Learning & Development

          • Overview
          • Call for Nominations
          • Insights
        • Transformational DEI Certificate

          This program is in redevelopment. Click this page for DEI resources.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          Read More
          Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Authentic Professionalism for Early Career Professionals

          Join us on June 12 for a highly interactive virtual workshop with Strategic Career & Leadership Coach Carole-Ann Penney.

          Read More
  • Economic Inclusion
        • Economic Inclusion

          • Overview
          • Pacesetters
          • Resources
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Small Business
          Small Business

          Small businesses are the backbone of the Boston economy. Learn more about the resources available through the Chamber.

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Policy & Impact
        • Policy & Impact

          • Overview
          • Leadership Councils
          • Amicus Advisory Board
        • GET INVOLVED IN OUR POLICY FOCUS AREAS

          Business Climate
          Read More
          Climate & Energy
          Read More
          Health Care
          Read More
          Housing & Development
          Read More
          Talent
          Read More
          Transportation
          Read More
  • Our Networks
        • GBCC’s Networks

          • Overview
        • OUR NETWORKS

          Small Business

          Small businesses are the backbone of the Boston economy. Learn more about the resources available through the Chamber.

          Read More
          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          Read More
          BIMA

          BIMA (the Boston Interactive Media Association) serves a vibrant community of like-minded professionals from agencies, brands, publishers, and ad-tech companies with business interests in the New England market.

          Read More
          Women’s Network

          For over 30 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected female professionals of all background and career levels. Today, our Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women each year.

          Read More
          Massachusetts Apprentice Network

          The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.

          Read More
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          Read More
  • Membership
        • Membership

          • Overview
          • Membership Benefits
          • Membership Levels
          • Member Stories
          • Request a Meeting
          • Join Today
        • Chamber Membership
        • About Us
          Our Impact

          Explore our mission and values to better understand how we are leading the business community forward.

        • Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
        • Membership Directory
          Not sure if you’re a member?

          Our member directory is your resource to discover, connect, and engage with Boston’s businesses from every industry and sector.

        • For our members

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          • Connect with your Member Services Rep
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Guest Post: Congressman Neal Event Recap & Preparing for Tax Reform

October 30, 2017

On Friday, October 27th, following a momentous passing–albeit narrowly– of a GOP budget, I had the pleasure of listening to Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA) provide perspective to the Boston Chamber of Commerce. With 25 years on the Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Neal has a unique position in today’s government, being one of a few with an institutional network and long-time history on Capitol Hill.

Congressman Neal contrasted the current progress of tax reform to the 1986 tax reform efforts under the Reagan administration. Though “strong personalities” have been mapped to both efforts, in 1986 there was broad agreement on how to fix things. In today’s charged atmosphere with parties more confined to the base, Congressman Neal observed the only agreement is on what’s wrong: an outdated tax system written in 1986 that does not account for the changes in the world and the US economy over the past 31 years.

On Thursday, House Republicans accepted the Senate budget resolution giving way for Republicans to begin work on a follow-up $1.5 trillion tax cut. See the Framework here. Despite this development, significant details are needed to understand how Congress will cover the costs associated with the tax relief proposed in the framework.

The budget passing is a sign of momentum for the competitive tax system our country so desperately needs. We’re all of the opinion that we need to get past this 2% growth Congressman Neal said referring to the Ways and Means Committee statement that our current tax structure is crippling GDP growth. Major developments are expected before the year end but with parties currently less bipartisan in their efforts than in 1986, Congressman Neal cautions, “we’re more likely to get cut than tax reform and we’re all losers if that’s what happens.

While we await markup and debate, the uncertainty underscores the importance of evaluating and planning. At PwC we are helping companies identify trigger points and evaluate benefits with our Tax Restructuring Impact Model (TRIM). Companies, especially global companies with US operations, will need to stay abreast with how impending tax reform will affect their business. While no one can predict exactly how this will all shake out, it is safe to say that change is likely and companies should be considering the impacts of the potential opportunities – and challenges – now.

View a video of the program  below, thanks to our partners at Comcast!