Our Priorities
119th Congress
Advocacy Primer
We support sensible policies that enable our state and local governments to tap into the $4 trillion municipal market and finance critical infrastructure that builds strong, healthy, economically vibrant communities.
Above All Else…
Congress and the administration should defend affordable finance options for our communities and reject efforts to eliminate or reduce the federal tax exemption on municipal bond interest. Holders do not pay federal income taxes on interest paid on qualified municipal bonds, which reduces the interest costs for state and local borrowers. Limiting or eliminating the tax-exemption on bonds would amount to a federal takeover of local decision-making and rip money from the communities that know their infrastructure needs best. More importantly, any effort to reduce or eliminate the tax exemption would result in increased borrowing costs, forcing state and local governments to either cut back infrastructure investment or raise taxes and rates on American households.
$4.1 T
Size of the outstanding market in 2024.
$823.9 B
Estimated nationwide savings over 2026-2035.
$70.9 B
Saved by community issuers and borrowers in 2023.
210 bp
Average borrowing rate difference (in basis points) between taxable and tax-exempt municipal bonds in 2023.
$6,544.67
Savings from the tax-exemption per U.S. household over the next 10 years (2026-2035).
What Do Bonds Build in Your Community?
Learn more about what bonds have built and are building in your community.
Three Ways to Support Municipal Finance
Since the first issues in the early 1800s, municipal bonds have had a proven track record as an effective tool for state and local governments to finance critical infrastructure. Here are three ways in which federal policymakers can furthers trengthen community finance.
More Resources
- Need the Basics? Our Bond Basics series provides the public with plain-English explanations of hundreds of concepts relating to municipal bonds. www.nabl.org/basics
- Looking for Deeper Dives? Our resource hub features over 350 documents, including reports, comment letters, and issue briefs on topics relating to bond law. www.nabl.org/resources
- Support the Municipal Market? Our advocacy center tracks federal policy issues of importance to the municipal market as well as provides deeper explanations of policy initiatives to support financing tools for our communities. www.nabl.org/advocacy
Here to Help
We collectively serve as a brain trust on all things related to public finance and municipal bond law. Our members throughout the country and professional staff based in Washington, D.C. are committed to promoting sensible public finance policy.
Other Emerging Issues
ESG
Environmental, Social, and Governance factors in the context of the municipal market.
Financial Data Transparency Act (FDTA)
Legislation passed at the end of 2022 to apply data standards to information submitted to and managed by several financial regulators, including the MSRB.
Inflation Reduction Act
Large domestic policy package offering more than $400 billion in new federal investment and $300 billion in deficit reduction.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
Bipartisan infrastructure bill passed in late 2021 that enacted two new types of exempt facility bonds.
COVID-19
Resources for bond lawyers working with clients through the global pandemic.