President Obama outlined an agenda to foster exports and improve infrastructure in his State of the Union Address last night, but the speech did not address the looming battle over Export-Import Bank reauthorization in upcoming months, nor did it cover a need for improved aviation infrastructure. The President said he plans to ask both parties for trade promotion authority “to protect American workers with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe.” Obama further stressed the importance of strong infrastructure to keep jobs in the U.S., but mentioned only modern ports, stronger bridges, faster trains and quick Internet.
Obama also returned to a theme of closing tax “loopholes,” but early documents do not point to changes in business aircraft depreciation schedules as they have in the past. That might resurface, however, when details of the White House’s formal budget proposal emerge.