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Government Relations & Public Policy

Government Relations & Public Policy: The First 100 Days of 2025

May 1, 2025

The first 100 days of 2025 have been marked by strong and sustained advocacy from ICSC. As a new administration began, the ICSC Government Relations and Public Policy (GPP) team hit the ground running—engaging policymakers, mobilizing members and delivering results on the issues that matter most to the Marketplaces Industry. From federal tax policy and regulatory reform to the fight against Organized Retail Crime (ORC), ICSC continues to be the voice of the industry at all levels of government.

Advocacy

Federal Fly-In

ICSC members gathered in Washington, DC for the 34th annual Federal Fly-In in March. During the event, members from 29 states met with 141 Congressional offices to discuss tax priorities impacting the Marketplaces Industry.

Prior to Hill meetings, members attended briefings on top ICSC issues, such as Congressional  proposals to cap or eliminate the federal business deduction for state and local property taxes and possible changes to the treatment of carried interest and pass-through deductions.

We also conducted ICSC member interviews during the Federal Fly-In. These interviews highlighted the importance of this event and the impact ICSC members had during their meetings with legislators. You can view examples of these testimonials on ICSC’s social media channels here and here.

Days at the State Capitols

ICSC continues to stay active at the state and local levels through our network of lobbyists and Government Relations volunteers. “Day at the State Capitol” events provide ICSC members with a valuable opportunity to connect directly with state legislators, voice industry concerns and hear from policy experts about proposed legislation.

In 2025, ICSC hosted “Days at the State Capitol” in seven states:

  • Florida
  • Texas
  • Colorado
  • Washington
  • Maryland
  • Ohio
  • Michigan

Corporate Transparency Act

ICSC championed efforts to meaningfully reform the reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act, which were adopted by the Administration in late March.

Tax Policy

ICSC continues to advocate for federal tax policies that support the commercial real estate industry, joining several industry coalitions earlier this year to weigh in on key legislative proposals:

Waters of the United States

ICSC sent letters to the Trump Administration to address key regulatory challenges, including how to address soil contamination, federally protected “Waters of the U.S.” and the future of the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager program.

Combating Organized Retail Crime Act

ICSC remains a leading advocate in the fight against Organized Retail Crime (ORC), working at both the federal and state levels to strengthen enforcement and protect retailers.

At the federal level, ICSC played a key role in supporting the reintroduction of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act in both the House and Senate. We are grateful to Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) for leading the charge in the Senate, and to the 20 original House cosponsors who have championed this important legislation.

At the state level, momentum continues to build. So far in 2025:

  • Lawmakers in 30 states have introduced more than 60 bills targeting Organized Retail Crime.
  • 7 states — Arkansas, Maryland, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah — have already enacted new ORC laws.
  • 16 states have introduced 22 bills aimed at equipping law enforcement with stronger tools to combat gift card fraud, a tactic frequently used in ORC operations.

ICSC will continue to work closely with policymakers across all levels of government to ensure safer retail environments and effective legal tools to deter and prosecute ORC.

Congressional Black Caucus

After the success of last year’s ICSC-CBC Retail Real Estate Reception, work has begun for this year’s event, which will take place on September 25, 2025.

Engagement with Key Stakeholders

Committees

The GPP team recently convened meetings of the ICSC Economic Committee, Environmental and Land Use Policy Committee, ESG Committee and Government Relations Committee. These sessions brought together leading ICSC practitioners to exchange ideas and provide valuable feedback on key policy issues.

These events featured distinguished guest speakers who shared their time and expertise, including:

  • Emily Murphy, Former GSA Administrator
  • Kevin Brady, Former Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee
  • David French, Executive Vice President, NRF
  • Ken Wingert, Chief Advocacy Officer, NAHB
  • Michael Layman, Chief Advocacy Officer, IFA
  • Mark Calabria, Economist and Former Director, FHFA
  • Joe Rinzel, Principal, Multistate
  • Billy Culleton, Assistant Vice President, Multistate

PAC

ICSC PAC is off to a strong start in 2025, with a growing network of supporters to advance pro-industry policies through strategic political engagement. So far this year ICSC PAC has:

  • Raised $160,000
  • Disbursed $141,500
  • Gained 41 new PAC members (donors)
  • Added seven new members to the ICSC PAC Management Committee
  • Attended 54 fundraising events
  • Hosted fundraising events for five members of Congress (Rep. Rudy Yakym, Rep. William Timmons, Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, Rep. Jimmy Panetta and Sen. Mike Crapo).

Grassroots Efforts

ICSC members have sent more than 1,000 emails urging Congress to oppose proposals to eliminate the federal business deduction for state and local property taxes and nearly 500 emails asking Congress to oppose changes to the capital gains tax treatment of carried interest.

Member Communications

Since the beginning of the administration, ICSC has published seven issues of GPP E-News, covering issues that included suspension of the Corporate Transparency Act, EPA rewriting the Waters of the U.S. rule, the debate on limiting corporate property tax deductions and the reintroduction of the Organized Retail Crime bill, the Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act and the Main Street Tax Certainty Act in the House and Senate.

The work of the office of Government Relations and Public Policy is just getting started. Over the next several months, ICSC will continue advancing policies that strengthen the Marketplace Industry —supporting business growth, protecting communities and amplifying member voices. Whether it’s through direct advocacy, member engagement or strategic partnerships, ICSC remains committed to driving meaningful progress across the retail real estate industry.

For more information contact gpp@icsc.com