Today, U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) introduced the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act in the House. This bipartisan legislation is aimed at reviving American film and television production across the U.S., which will bring further economic growth to our communities. Moran is joined by Representatives Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38), Brian Jack (R-GA-03), Laura Friedman (D-CA-30), David Kustoff (R-TN-08), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Mike Carey (R-OH-15), and Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03) in introduction. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced companion legislation in the Senate, joined by Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA).
The bill would create a federal tax credit for productions made in the United States, aimed at reversing the flow of film and television jobs to the numerous foreign countries that are luring these American productions away. The goal is to bring that work back to American crews, small businesses, and the communities that depend on the industry.
“When a production comes to a community—from rural East Texas to urban New York—that money doesn't just benefit the production company. It helps the local caterer, the hardware store, the hoteliers, and every tradesman in between who makes film and television production possible. Those jobs are going overseas right now simply because other countries are offering bigger handouts. If we want to keep American storytelling in America, we have to level the playing field, and that's exactly what this bill does. This isn't about subsidizing Hollywood—it's about supporting the American worker, one story and one production at a time. I'm proud to work with Senator Scott and our bipartisan group in both chambers to get this done, and I'm grateful to Ambassador Jon Voight and Sean Astin for the work they've put into pushing this forward,” said Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01).
“Having worked in a movie theater growing up, I saw early on how films can move and inspire generations of Americans. Films like ‘The Notebook’ bring us to tears, and films like ‘Forrest Gump’ inspire us to see the world differently. That is the power of film, and South Carolina is blessed to have served as the backdrop for both of these iconic American stories,” said Sen. Scott. “We cannot stand by as more and more American film production moves overseas, taking jobs, investment, and an important source of American cultural influence with it. This legislation will create jobs in communities across America, support local economies, and help ensure that the next generation of iconic American films is made right here in America. Hollywood’s history is legendary, but the future of American filmmaking can be even brighter.”
“For years, I've been championing a federal film tax credit to stop the exodus of TV and film production leaving the United States for countries offering higher incentives. Now, we have the best opportunity in decades to get it done. The direct and indirect jobs created by this creative and talented workforce are enormously important, and we want to make sure they stay in this country. With the support of the White House, our bill will create an overdue federal program to bring the movie magic back to America while creating thousands of jobs and spurring local economic growth across the nation. This legislation has bipartisan, bicameral support, and it's time we get this passed,” said Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA).
“The United States is losing good-paying union jobs because it's become too expensive to film here. This isn't about the actors who star in films and can travel for a shoot. It's about the production crews and set builders, the backbone of the film industry. Our bill would create incentives to bring those jobs back home and boost local economies, not just in California, but across the country,” said Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38).
“My Congressional District is home to Trilith Studios, and I proudly represent the craftsmen, electricians, and carpenters who work hard to create movies that inspire generations of Americans. Study after study has demonstrated that American film production delivers substantial economic benefits to communities across our country by creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and generating millions of dollars in local economic activity. I applaud President Trump's leadership in calling for a legislative solution to bring film production back to the United States, and I look forward to working with him and my colleagues in Congress to advance our legislation and achieve this important goal,” said Rep. Brian Jack (R-GA-03).
“For over a year, I've worked to build a coalition of unions, studios, Republicans and Democrats, and the White House, because we knew that a national film tax credit would bring hundreds of thousands of jobs back to our country,” said Rep. Laura Friedman (D-CA-30). “This bill is a result of that coalition. It tells every country that has been outbidding us for American work that we are done losing.”
“Ohio has a rich history in film production, from ‘The Deer Hunter’ and ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ to ‘The Avengers’ and ‘A Christmas Story.’ Many of these filming locations have become tourist attractions and are economic drivers to this day. The film industry provides high-paying jobs for artists, small businesses, and union workers. As other countries implement beneficial tax incentives to draw production away from the United States, Congress must work to ensure the United States stays competitive. I would like to commend Representative Moran for introducing this important legislation. As Chairman of the Humanities Caucus and a member of the tax-writing committee, I am confident this bill will help the United States maintain its global influence, as well as the high-paying jobs, associated with film production,” said Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH-15).
“For generations, Southern California has been the heart of America's film and television industry, supporting thousands of workers and small businesses in the San Gabriel Valley and across our region. But today, too many productions are leaving for other countries, taking good-paying jobs and economic opportunity with them. We cannot stand by while communities across the United States lose these productions and the jobs they support. That's why I am so proud to co-lead the bipartisan, bicameral Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act, which will create a new federal tax credit to incentivize film and television production here in America. This bill will help bring productions and jobs back home, support our creative workforce, and keep Southern California the entertainment capital of the world,” said Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-28).
“The film and TV industry is an economic engine in New York. It supports thousands of good jobs at good wages,” said Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03). “America is the entertainment leader of the world and this bill incentivizes filmmakers and studios to hire American workers. I'm proud to help lead this commonsense, bipartisan effort.”
What the Bill Does
- Creates a new federal tax credit for American film and television productionsGives an added incentive to productions filmed in rural communities designated as federal Opportunity Zones
- Gives an added incentive to productions filmed in federally declared disaster areasCovers every phase of production, including principal photography, traditional post-production, and visual effects, as long as the work happens in the United States
- Extends the benefit to the whole country, beyond major hubs like Los Angeles and New York
Texas already has a program that mirrors this legislation. In 2025, the state passed Senate Bill 22 (SB 22), committing $300 million every two years through 2035 to the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP). Productions that qualify can get back 5 to 25 percent of what they spend in the state, and there are extra grants on top of that for projects that film in rural areas, use historic sites, or partner with Texas universities to train workers. The industry already supports more than 59,000 jobs and $4.8 billion in wages in Texas alone. The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act builds a federal layer on top of what Texas is already doing under TMIIIP.
Endorsed by: American Federation of Musicians, American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Coalition for American Production (CAP), CreativeFuture, Directors Guild of America (DGA), FilmUSA, Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Motion Picture Association (MPA), Paramount, Producers Guild of America (PGA), Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Teamsters, Television Academy, Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), Writers Guild of America West (WGAW)
“I want to thank President Trump for bringing national attention to the urgent need for a federal film and television production tax credit and for calling on Congress to act,” said Jon Voight, United States Special Ambassador to Hollywood. “I also want to thank Senators Tim Scott and Adam Schiff, along with Representatives Nathaniel Moran, Linda Sánchez, Brian Jack, and Laura Friedman, for their work on this bipartisan effort to bring productions and jobs back to the United States. The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act will restore the American film and television industry, put crews back to work, support productions at all levels, and create economic opportunities in communities nationwide. All Americans want to bring our iconic film industry home, and we can do it by working together to get this important legislation passed quickly.”
“Paramount fully supports this legislation and thanks Representative Moran for his bipartisan leadership on this important issue. America's highly skilled production workforce — including camera operators, set production designers, editors, visual effects artists, lighting and sound crews, costume and makeup teams, transportation workers, filmmakers, and countless others — are critical to our nation's economy and have built and powered one of this country's greatest cultural exports. We believe now is the time to pursue this important legislation, so we can support our critical production workers and make more films and TV right here at home. Paramount will continue working closely with our union partners and the broader creative industry at every level to help support this effort,” said David Ellison, Chairman and CEO of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation.
“SAG-AFTRA is proud to partner with our fellow unions, industry and policymakers in a bipartisan effort to rescue the domestic film and television business. The money is being invested, the productions are being made, the jobs are being created, just not in America. This is a jobs bill and that is exactly what our members want to see. We have the infrastructure. We have the crews. We have the talent. Now all we need is a level playing field. We are the storytellers who inform and entertain the world. Let's get back to doing that right here at home. Thank you, Senators Scott and Schiff and Representatives Moran, Sánchez, Friedman, and Jack, for championing this critical legislation,” said Sean Astin, President, Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
“The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act is the most significant legislative effort in a generation to promote domestic film and television production, and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports. This moment is the culmination of years of work by the entertainment guilds and unions, in partnership with the MPA and lawmakers from both parties. The DGA thanks Senators Scott and Schiff and Representatives Moran, Jack, and Friedman for advancing this important bipartisan effort to strengthen domestic production, create jobs, and further build on the critical work already underway through state incentives in California, New York, Illinois, Georgia, and elsewhere. We also acknowledge the leadership of Ambassador Voight on this issue. We look forward to working with our partners in Congress, labor, the Administration, and at the studios to get this bill signed into law,” said Christopher Nolan, President, Directors Guild of America.
“The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act would deliver a true gamechanger for American creators, workers, and businesses, a federal incentive that supercharges production at home, fuels jobs and growth in local communities, and makes the United States a more competitive destination for the next generation of great film and television. There's a reason everyone from President Trump to a bipartisan group of members in Congress to studios, unions, guilds, and more want to get this done. Passing this legislation could inject $250 billion into the country's economy and deliver nearly 145,000 new jobs every year across all 50 states. That's a story we can write together by enacting this bill, to ensure that more stories are crafted, created, and made here in America. The Motion Picture Association thanks Senators Tim Scott and Adam Schiff, and Representatives Nathaniel Moran, Linda Sánchez, Brian Jack, Laura Friedman, Mike Carey, Judy Chu, David Kustoff, and Tom Suozzi for their leadership in support of America's creative economy,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO, Motion Picture Association.
Read full statements of support from these organizations and industry leaders here.
Background:
Many of the films Americans watch again and again were made here, by American crews, in American towns. “The Sandlot” was shot in Salt Lake City and Ogden, Utah. “Jaws” was filmed on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. “Top Gun” was made in San Diego. “The Shawshank Redemption” was filmed in Mansfield, Ohio, and went on to become one of the most beloved American films ever made. “Singin’ in the Rain” was shot at MGM's old studios in Culver City, and “The Natural” was filmed in Buffalo, New York. If those productions had gone somewhere cheaper, they wouldn't be the movies people know today.
The legislation follows public comments from President Trump this summer encouraging Congress to act on a bipartisan basis to bring film and television production back to the United States. Additional input and analysis on the legislation will take place as the bipartisan members work through the legislative process in both chambers with the goal of having the bill reach final consideration before the end of the year.
This legislation builds on work Rep. Moran began earlier this month, when he co-founded the bipartisan Congressional American Film & TV Production Caucus alongside Reps. Brian Jack (R-GA-03), Laura Friedman (D-CA-30), Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), and Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03) to revitalize American film and television production.
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