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Dear Chamber Friends,
As we at the U.S. Chamber look back on the year that’s drawing to a close, we know who to thank most for the successes we’ve achieved: You, the chambers that have weighed in with Congress when it mattered most. In the spirit of the season, we think that it’s a good time to take a short look back at the biggest federal issues of the year just ending. All of them carry over into the new year, when we will once again turn to many of you for help. (Please feel free to copy and paste any or all of this, including links, for distribution to your members.)
Health Care
On Nov. 7, the House narrowly passed Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s health care bill which included job killing provisions such as massive taxes increases, employer mandates and a government-run “public option.” The Senate is now debating Majority Leader Harry Reid’s bill while he continues to seek 60 votes, just enough to end a filibuster and bring the bill to a final vote. To gain support from Sen. Joe Lieberman and other moderate Democrats, Sen. Reid is looking at dropping the “public option” and an expansion of Medicare to cover uninsured adults between the age of 55 and 64; however a final compromise remains unknown at this point. The Senate hopes to pass a bill by Christmas and send it to a conference committee with House members by the end of the year. While the U.S. Chamber continues to support meaningful health care reform, we’re very concerned with the direction Congress is going. For more information and to communicate with your Members of Congress, please visit and share the Chamber’s Health Care Toolkit.
Employee Free Choice Act
The card check bill, EFCA, remains stalled in the Senate due to a lack of 60 votes. Efforts by the U.S. Chamber and many of you helped raise the heat on moderate Senate Democrats, making them unwilling to support a bill that would spur unionization through openly undemocratic means. Sponsors are looking for some type of compromise that will ease labor organizing and require binding arbitration if contract talks drag on too long. They haven’t yet come up with a formula that will attract the votes they need. Union leaders, having spent so much on the 2006 and 2008 elections, may try to force a vote next year anyway. To learn more visit the Workforce Freedom Initiative.
Cap-and-Trade
The U.S. Chamber has long been committed to climate change legislation that will 1) preserve American jobs and the competitiveness of U.S. industries, 2) provide for an international solution that includes emerging nations, 3) promotes accelerated development and deployment of greenhouse gas reduction technology, 4) reduces barriers to the development of climate-friendly energy sources, and 5) promotes energy conservation and efficiencies. Regretfully, the cap-and-trade schemes that passed the House last summer and are under consideration in the Senate do not accomplish those goals. The Institute for 21st Century Energy has provided a blueprint for energy policies that will reduce our carbon footprint, enhance entrepreneurial efforts, and support free enterprise. You can view that blueprint at www.energyxxi.org.
CFPA
Is piling another layer of bureaucracy – a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency – on top of an already complicated and ineffective regulatory structure the way to prevent a reoccurrence of what hit us over the past two years? We don’t think so, and we were disappointed with House passage of a 1,300-page financial regulatory reform bill that piles on more bureaucracy while leaving many of the underlying issues unaddressed. We look forward to working with the Senate next year to advance more effective reforms that will protect investors and strengthen our capital markets without adding new layers of bureaucracy. For more information please visit www.StoptheCFPA.com.
Transportation
Reauthorization of federal highway and transit programs – SAFTEA-LU – remains dependent on short-term extensions. On Wednesday, the House passed the “Jobs for Main Street Act,” which includes roughly $37 billion for near-term transportation investments and an extension of SAFETEA-LU through September 20, 2010. But the Senate isn’t likely to act on the package until the new year. So to avoid a shutdown of federal highway and transit programs, the House also included a 60-day extension of SAFETEA-LU in the Defense appropriations bill, which should pass before the holidays. Bottom line: the “Jobs for Main Street Act” is still a work in progress, and what ultimately comes together between the House and Senate will have significant implications for the long-term reauthorization process. For the latest information, visit the Let’s Rebuild America coalition website.
Immigration Reform
House leaders have turned away from the bipartisan approach to comprehensive immigration reform that has come up short several times this decade. They’re now pursuing a partisan bill introduced by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) this week that had nearly 90 Democratic cosponsors on the day it was introduced. Significantly missing from the bill is any guest worker program; it would establish a commission to look into workforce needs instead. House members will want the Senate to go first on immigration, and while discussions are underway there a bill isn’t likely until next spring. Visit the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition for more background.
Taxes
Zeroing in on just how mammoth your “fair share” will amount to in the coming years is a dizzying exercise. Congress still needs to dispense with several expiring provisions (tax “extenders” such as the R&D tax credit, as well as the estate tax) this year before they turn their attention to the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, which will sunset at midnight on Jan 1, 2011, absent Congressional action. The U.S. Chamber will continue to promote pro-growth policies that preserve America’s global competitiveness, and oppose tax increases that reduce businesses ability to plan, invest, grow, and create jobs. We also support reducing corporate income taxes to stimulate economic recovery, and reduce the budget deficit. Take a look at the U.S. Chamber’s Tax Policy Priorities.
2010 Elections
Almost everything that has happened in Congress this year has been viewed through the prism of next year’s elections, and that will only intensify as they draw closer. History suggests that Democrats will have to give up at least some of their 2006 and 2008 gains – but how much? The U.S. Chamber will be electorally active again next year, working to elect business-oriented candidates and send home legislators that either don’t get or don’t care about what businesses need to survive and grow. The U.S. Chamber’s "How They Voted" provides a good indication of who falls in what category. Scores for 2008 were unusual (it was an unusual year), so the cumulative scores (shown as “Cum %”) are a better guide. The scores for 2009 will be available by early next March.
The U.S. Chamber also has several campaigns and programs that are broader than any individual issue and are available to you. These three feature prominently among them:
Campaign for Free Enterprise
American Free Enterprise. Dream Big. is the U.S. Chamber’s comprehensive, multiyear campaign to support free enterprise through national advertising; grassroots advocacy; citizen, community, and youth engagement; and research and ideas leadership. Sign up today! We need your help to ensure that free enterprise continues to flourish for the benefit of all Americans now and into the future.
VoteForBusiness
The VFB program offers customized grassroots advocacy web sites designed to look like your own web sites. Get state-of-the-art advocacy tools, often at no additional cost to you! Learn more about it by visiting www.VFBDemo.com or contact Lewis Muller at vfb@uschamber.com or 202-463-5604.
America’s Small Business Summit May 17-19, 2010
Now is the perfect time to start coordinating your Washington, D.C. fly-in to coincide with America’s Small Business Summit 2010. Bring a delegation of 5 or more and the Chamber executive comes for free! Also, we encourage you to nominate one of your members for the DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award. The winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Sam’s Club.
Once again, thank you for helping to make 2009 a year of many successes. Your members’ costs are lower and prospects are brighter as a result of our efforts together. We will be called upon to do even more in the year ahead, but there’s plenty of time for that when we return in January.
Wishing you the happiest of holiday seasons,
Moore Hallmark
Debbie Carrothers
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