The United States House of Representatives announced the creation of a new bipartisan group dedicated to the nation’s creative and entertainment sectors. The Movies, Music, Entertainment & Sports (MoMEntS) Caucus is intended to give lawmakers a focused venue for dialogue with the industries that generate more than $1 trillion annually and employ over five million workers. Its emergence follows an industry-wide call for a federal tax incentive that would halt the migration of film and television productions to overseas locations.
In a climate where streaming platforms, gaming firms and influencer networks are reshaping the cultural landscape, the caucus aims to balance economic growth with the protection of bipartisan creative rights. By gathering representatives from both parties, the group hopes to craft legislation that safeguards the United States’ position as the global hub for entertainment, while also addressing emerging challenges such as artificial-intelligence-generated content and platform competition.
Leadership and bipartisan foundation of the MoMEntS caucus
The caucus is co-chaired by three legislators whose districts sit at the heart of the industry: Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) whose constituency includes Culver City’s studio corridor; Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) a Florida representative with strong ties to the music market; and Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) a former music executive turned lawmaker. Their joint statement highlighted the sector’s contribution of “more than $1 trillion each year and over five million good-paying jobs,” stressing that Congress has historically under-served these workers.
Additional members span the political spectrum, including Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)Rep. André Carson (D-IN)Rep. Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr. (D-CA)Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and Rep. Ted W. Lieu (D-CA). Their collective presence signals a genuine cross-party effort to address the challenges faced by creators, performers and athletes alike.
Broad policy agenda: jobs, rights, innovation
The MoMEntS caucus will not limit its attention to traditional film and television. Its charter explicitly embraces broadcasting, recorded music, live sports, fashion, beauty, gaming, esports, interactive media, streaming services, influencer-driven platforms, publishing, and the visual and performing arts. By casting a wide net, the group plans to tackle issues ranging from workforce development to protecting creative rights and ensuring responsible platform practices.
Key legislative pillars include: (1) expanding and harmonising tax incentives that make U.S. production financially attractive; (2) safeguarding intellectual-property protections in the age of AI-generated works; (3) fostering competition among streaming services while preventing monopolistic behaviour; and (4) encouraging education and apprenticeship programs that feed the talent pipeline for the next generation of creators.
Rep. Salazar emphasized that the caucus will “bring lawmakers and creative industries together to better understand the challenges they face, protect creative rights, and keep American talent and innovation leading on the world stage.” Rep. Carter added that the forum offers a “critical opportunity” to prioritise the cultural sectors that have shaped national identity.
Industry endorsement and parallel push for a federal film tax credit
Leading entertainment entities quickly voiced support. Harvey Mason Jr. president of the Recording Academy, praised the caucus for acknowledging the economic weight of music. Kathryn Busby head of original programming at Starz, and Nicole Nason public-policy chief for TikTok’s U.S. joint venture, also issued statements of encouragement. Their backing underscores the industry’s desire for stable, federal-level policies that complement state-level incentives.
Concurrently, a separate bipartisan group of representatives—among them Rep. Brian Jack (R-GA) and Rep. Laura Friedman (D-CA)—unveiled the Congressional American Film & TV Production Caucus. This body’s primary mission is to secure a national film and television tax credit that would sit atop existing state programs, aiming to reverse a documented decline of more than 100,000 production jobs since 2022.
Industry analysts cite a Motion Picture Association study projecting that a federal incentive could generate nearly $250 billion in gross value between 2027 and 2035 and sustain roughly 143,500 full-time positions each year. The MoMEntS caucus, while broader in scope, will likely coordinate with the film-tax-credit caucus to champion a unified legislative package.
With the Trump administration recently voicing support for a federal film incentive, and with bipartisan lawmakers convening under the MoMEntS banner, the coming weeks promise vigorous debate on how best to preserve America’s cultural leadership while adapting to a rapidly evolving digital marketplace.
