Now Congress is back in session, business groups are urging lawmakers to take up tax reform, although at least one association leader cautioned against making "shortsighted" changes that could hurt the oil and gas industry.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday it had launched a TV and digital advertising campaign to urge voters in several states to call their U.S. representatives and press for tax reform. The campaign kicked off in New York State with ads targeting five representatives, all Republicans.

"We need lawmakers from all sides of the political spectrum to hear from their constituents — the country has been waiting long enough for a fair tax code that encourages growth and opportunity," Chamber Senior Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley said. http://bit.ly/2gP3gjU

The Chamber's seven-figure ad campaign follows a similar multi-million effort by Business Roundtable that targeted lawmakers during the recent congressional recess.

Barry Russell, CEO of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, also weighed in on tax reform in a recent op-ed published in Investor's Business Daily. He said the current dialogue focuses on lowering tax rates, but oil and gas developers rely on existing tax provisions to recover investment made in energy development. He cautioned against "shortsighted" reforms that do more harm than good.

"Provisions such as this are critical to how companies manage their capital budgets, and in turn keep salaries paid and operations running," he said. "Potential changes to these provisions could significantly impact U.S. energy production and the many benefits it provides." http://bit.ly/2wbvHui

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