On Thursday, April 3, 2014, the Senate Finance Committee passed an $85 billion tax extenders package that includes two years of extensions, including several related to bonds. The bill would provide $400 million of volume per year for the qualified zone academy bond program, and require that those bonds be issued as tax-credit and not direct-pay bonds. It also included an extension for empowerment zone tax incentives, including empowerment zone facility bonds. The bill now goes to the full Senate for vote. More information on the Finance Committee action is available here.