{"id":16775,"date":"2026-03-24T21:25:23","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T04:25:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/?p=16775"},"modified":"2026-03-24T21:25:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T04:25:29","slug":"affordability-strategies-get-spotlight-during-first-congressional-family-business-caucus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/family-businesses\/affordability-strategies-get-spotlight-during-first-congressional-family-business-caucus\/","title":{"rendered":"Affordability Strategies Get Spotlight During First Congressional Family Business Caucus"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;4px|||||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_cta title=&#8221;What is your Top Concern: Income Tax, Estate Tax, or Wealth Tax?&#8221; button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/2026-annual-family-business-survey\/?utm_campaign=2026AFOBS&#038;utm_medium=CTA&#038;utm_source=FEUSActa&#038;utm_content=FEUSActa&#038;utm_id=2026AFOBS&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Real influence starts with real input. Take a few minutes to weigh in.&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Call To Action Top&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.6&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; header_font_size=&#8221;22px&#8221; background_color=&#8221;#397389&#8243; custom_button=&#8221;on&#8221; button_bg_color=&#8221;#ff0019&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;-17px|||||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;16px||19px|||&#8221; global_module=&#8221;9695&#8243; saved_tabs=&#8221;all&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_cta][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#397389&#8243; divider_weight=&#8221;2px&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_video src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2-LPs2WKiXg&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.6&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.6&#8243; text_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Affordability Strategies Get Spotlight During First Congressional Family Business Caucus; Rep. Correa and Rep. Tenney Co-Chair Bipartisan Caucus<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong><em>Rep. Tenney (R-NY) and Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) Address Caucus Attendees, Family-Owned Business Leaders; Dr. Frank Luntz Presents New Research on Voter Attitudes<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s first <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/family-business-caucus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Congressional Family Business Caucus <\/a>was held this month on Capitol Hill and lawmakers, family-owned business leaders, and political experts were there to discuss strategies for tackling the growing affordability issue in America.<\/p>\n<p>Caucus attendees heard from Caucus Co-Chair <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/family-business-caucus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) <\/a>and from Caucus member <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/family-business-caucus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV)<\/a>. \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/family-business-caucus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA)<\/a> and Tenney are the new Co-Chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Family Business Caucus.<\/p>\n<p>The Congressional Family Business Caucus mission is to educate and inform legislators on the importance of family-owned businesses to the economy. According to research, <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/family-business-caucus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">America\u2019s family-owned businesses<\/a> contribute $7.7 trillion annually to the U.S. gross domestic product, accounting for 83.3 million jobs, or 59 percent of the country\u2019s private workforce.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Seeking Affordability Strategies<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>During the meeting attendees received legislative and political updates by the law and government affairs firm Brownstein.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brownstein<\/strong> experts emphasized the new state and federal wealth tax measures facing family-owned businesses and successful families, as well as housing affordability and wage growth. In addition, communications expert and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz presented new voter attitude research.<\/p>\n<p>A family business panel discussion on affordability consisted of <strong>Steve Wells<\/strong>, Co-Founder of American Food and Vending; <strong>Matt Nielsen,<\/strong> Shareholder, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas; <strong>Eddie Russnow,<\/strong> President, Mac Products, Inc.; <strong>Aiysha Johnson,<\/strong> Chief Executive Officer for New Jersey Society of CPA\u2019s; and from <strong>David White,<\/strong> President, Superior Paving.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday, you need to understand the major consumer trends since COVID,\u201d said Wells, about his food service business and managing pricing and margin issues. \u201cWeight loss drugs, people eating less, and the fact people will now spend more to eat less are major factors in our business.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nielsen of Nielsen-Massey Vanilla focus was on going to market. \u201cWe\u2019ve always been a high-margin, premium product, but now we\u2019re looking at lower price points using product reformulations,\u201d Nielsen said.<\/p>\n<p>Russnow of MAC brought in the issue of timing and negotiating better terms. \u201cEvery day we now look at balancing the timing of purchases and negotiating better payment terms,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Aiysha Johnson, leader of New Jersey\u2019s Society of CPAs, said \u201ckey areas to improve affordability are in technology and operations.\u201d She added that technology can also \u201csee savings in marketing and inventory\u201d costs.<\/p>\n<p>Paving company head David White said the key to affordability is to know \u201cbase line costs\u201d first.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost businesses fail because they do not know their baseline costs,\u201d White said. \u201cBut also, in our business safety is key to reducing costs, we save a lot of money by making sure our workers get home safely.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Political analyst Luntz presented research on the increased polarization in the country on the merits of democracy versus capitalism. He also predicted the coming year will continue to see \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/family-business-caucus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">a war on wealth<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Attendees also heard from <strong>Sean Aylward<\/strong>, Managing Director of Ernst &amp; Young LLP\u2019s Private Tax and Family Enterprise Business Services, on the \u201cfour core strategies\u201d needed for multigenerational business success.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re grateful to see bipartisanship has not dead in Washington, D.C.,\u201d said <strong>Pat Soldano<\/strong>, President, Family Enterprise USA, about this year\u2019s first of three Caucus meetings. \u00a0\u201cWe\u2019re also grateful that the two new Caucus co-chairs, <strong>Rep. Tenney<\/strong> and <strong>Rep. Correa,<\/strong> are intimately familiar with the struggles and unique challenges faced by family-owned businesses versus traditional corporations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The next <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/family-business-caucus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Congressional Family Business Caucus<\/a> meetings are scheduled for June 6 and September 23.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#397389&#8243; divider_weight=&#8221;2px&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Become a member text&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; link_option_url=&#8221;https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate-2\/&#8221; global_module=&#8221;5822&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h4><em>We hope you&#8217;ve enjoyed this article. While you&#8217;re here, we have a small favor to ask&#8230;<\/em><\/h4>\n<p>As we prepare for what promises to be a pivotal year for America, we&#8217;re asking you to consider becoming a member.<\/p>\n<p>The need for fact-based reporting of issues important to <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/multi-generational-business\/\">family owned businesses<\/a> and protecting a <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/family-business-stories\/\">lifetime of savings<\/a> has never been greater. Now more than ever, <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/multi-generational-business\/\">successful families<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/family-business-stories\/\">family owned businesses<\/a> are under fire. That&#8217;s why <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/feusa\/\">Family Enterprise USA<\/a> is passionately working to increase the awareness of issues important to <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/multi-generational-business\/\">family owned businesses<\/a> built on hard work, while continuing to strengthen our presence on Capitol Hill. The issues we fight for or against with Congress in Washington DC include high <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/income-taxes\/\">income tax rates<\/a>, possible elimination of valuation discounts, increase in capital gains <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/taxes\/\">tax<\/a>, enactment of a wealth <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/taxes\/\">tax<\/a>, and the continued burden of the gift <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/taxes\/\">tax<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/estate-taxes\/\">estate tax<\/a> and generation skipping <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/taxes\/\">tax<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=&#8221;https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate\/&#8221; button_text=&#8221;Become a Family Enterprise USA Member&#8221; button_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Become FEUSA member button&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; custom_button=&#8221;on&#8221; global_module=&#8221;6503&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_divider color=&#8221;#397389&#8243; divider_style=&#8221;dotted&#8221; divider_weight=&#8221;2px&#8221; disabled_on=&#8221;on|on|on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; disabled=&#8221;on&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_video_slider disabled_on=&#8221;on|on|on&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Video Slider Family Business Stories 2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; disabled=&#8221;on&#8221; global_module=&#8221;6670&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_video_slider_item src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=y9VszpRjVDM&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; show_image_overlay=&#8221;off&#8221;][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=03T2VODneEg&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; show_image_overlay=&#8221;off&#8221;][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fHIxWaTwK64&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; show_image_overlay=&#8221;off&#8221;][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][et_pb_video_slider_item src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TI7P07GbNdU&#038;t=27s&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; show_image_overlay=&#8221;off&#8221;][\/et_pb_video_slider_item][\/et_pb_video_slider][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;FEUSA Statement&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; link_option_url=&#8221;https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/donate-2\/&#8221; global_module=&#8221;5910&#8243; saved_tabs=&#8221;all&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/feusa\/\">Family Enterprise USA<\/a> promotes <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/multi-generational-business\/\">generationally<\/a> owned <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/family-businesses\/\">family business<\/a> creation, growth, viability, and sustainability by <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/about\/\">advocating for family businesses<\/a> and their lifetime of savings with <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/family-business-caucus\/\">Congress<\/a> in Washington DC.\u00a0 Since 2007, <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/feusa\/\">Family Enterprise USA<\/a> has represented and celebrated\u00a0all sizes, professions and industries of family-owned enterprises and <a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/category\/multi-generational-business\/\">multi-generational<\/a> employers. It is a bi-partisan 501.c3 organization.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/membership\/\">Family foundations can donate.<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Hash tags &#038; Tags&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.4&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_module=&#8221;6498&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>#incometax #CapitalGainsTax #R&amp;DExpensing #DontPunishSuccess #GrantorTrusts #StepUpinBasis #likeKindExchanges #AcceleratedDepreciation #EstateTax #Deathtax #wealthtax #taxLegislation #CongressionalCaucus #incometaxrates #repealestatetax #AdvocatingForFamilyBusinesses #FamilyOwnedBusiness #WomenOwnedBusiness @FamilyEnterpriseUSA #FamilyEnterpriseUSA #FEUSA<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Affordability Strategies Get Spotlight During First Congressional Family Business Caucus; Rep. Correa and Rep. Tenney Co-Chair Bipartisan Caucus &nbsp; Rep. Tenney (R-NY) and Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) Address Caucus Attendees, Family-Owned Business Leaders; Dr. Frank Luntz Presents New Research on Voter Attitudes &nbsp; This year\u2019s first Congressional Family Business Caucus was held this month on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16781,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[48,102,92],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-businesses","category-family-business-caucus","category-multi-generational-business"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16775"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16775\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16784,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16775\/revisions\/16784"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/familyenterpriseusa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}