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U.S. Chamber of Commerce

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This article is part of the Coal Issues portal on SourceWatch, a project of CoalSwarm and the Center for Media and Democracy.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a powerful business lobbying group in the United States, "used to be a trade association that advocated in a bipartisan manner for narrowly tailored policies to benefit its members. Since 1997 or so, it has become a fully functional part of the partisan Republican machine," with CEO and president Thomas J. Donohue "raising its budget to $150M a year from corporate chiefs satisfied with his ability to move policy through a Republican Congress," Matt Stoller wrote December 13, 2006, at MyDD.[1]

The Chamber claims on its website that its mission is to "advance human progress through an economic, political and social system based on individual freedom, incentive, initiative, opportunity, and responsibility."[2] It describes itself as "the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region."[3]

However, the Chamber is "dominated by oil companies, pharmaceutical giants, automakers and other polluting industries," according to James Carter, executive director of the Green Chamber of Commerce.[4]

Contents

U.S. politics and elections

Climate Change Legislation

The Chamber of Commerce is lobbying against climate change legislation introduced by Congress. In describing its strategy, the Chamber says it will "resist ill-conceived legislation that is economically disruptive of business and industry activities, that creates regulatory and legislative obstacles to development and deployment of affordable, innovative energy technologies, and that could severely damage the security and economy of the United States."[5] The chamber said it supports "mainstream, common sense views" on climate change, but that it opposes the Waxman-Markey Climate Bill passed by the House of Representatives on June 26.[6]

The group's opposition to the legislation has caused a rift among its corporate members. A number of companies have announced they are leaving the organization as a result of its stance on climate change regulations. Energy companies Exelon, PG&E, and PNM Resources all announced in September 2009 that they were quitting the Chamber. [7] Apple Inc also resigned from the Chamber, saying in a statement, "We would prefer that the chamber take a more progressive stance on this critical issue and play a constructive role in addressing the climate crisis"[8] Sportswear company Nike also criticized the Chamber's challenge of the U.S. EPA's authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions as air pollution.[6] Nike said it would resign from the Chambers's board of directors, but that it would retain its membership to the organization in order to work for climate change legislation from inside the organization.[9]

Citizen action against the Chamber of Commerce's stance on climate change

Yes Men stage fake Chamber of Commerce press conference

On October 19, 2009, anti-corporate performance artists the Yes Men issued a fake press release on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, claiming that the Chamber had reversed its position on climate change would no longer lobby against the legislation. The activists managed to secure a room at the National Press Club to stage a press conference announcing the policy shift to reporters. The real Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Eric Wohlschlegel interrupted the event and declared the event a fraud. Afterwards, the Chamber threatened to push for a criminal investigation over the prank.[10]

Grassroots campaigns against the Chamber

CREDO Action, part of the Working Assets company, launched a campaign against the Chamber's stance on climate change legislation. The group is organizing an effort to urge members of the lobbying group to resign, calling on them to "denounce the Chamber's extremist position on global warming and revoke your membership effective immediately."[11]

Velvet Revolution has also organized a campaign against the Chamber of Commerce, citing its stance on climate change among other reasons to call for a reform of the corporate lobbying group.[12]

Employee Free Choice Act

In the 2009 debate over the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a bill that would make it easier for workers to join a union, "both the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO are focusing on grassroots outreach," reported PR Week. Before the bill was introduced, "the Chamber launched the Workforce Freedom Airlift program, a series of events that fly in local small business owners to Washington," to lobby against the bill. The first "airlift," on March 10, 2009, "brought in small business owners from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Nebraska, and Louisiana." Since July 2008, the Chamber has worked with Adfero Group on an anti-EFCA "social media effort," expanding "a virtual march on Washington that was created the last time the bill went to Congress in 2007." It "allows users to register for the march as avatars and send an automatic letter to their elected officials through a Facebook application." [13]

In April 2009, the Chamber launched a "$1 million television advertising campaign that takes a new line of attack against the Employee Free Choice Act, highlighting a provision that would allow federal arbitrators to set the rules for unionization if management and employees fail to negotiate their own deal." The ads "will hit the airwaves in Nebraska, Virginia, Louisiana, North Dakota and Colorado -- states whose senators could be swing votes." Previous attacks on the bill, from the Chamber and corporate front groups like the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and Employee Freedom Action Committee, claimed it would get rid of secret ballot elections. The bill would actually allow employees to form unions either by holding elections or signing cards. Although the "no secret ballot" claims are inaccurate, they've been effective, accorting to the Wall Street Journal. The "more than $30 million on TV ads [spent by business groups] in the past few years portraying the secret-ballot provision as antidemocratic ... pressured several key senators to reverse their prior support, leaving the bill several senators short of 60 votes." [14]

Political campaign spending

For 2008, Chamber President Tom Donohue intends to get very involved in elections. The Los Angeles Times wrote on January 8, 2008, 'Alarmed at the increasingly populist tone of the 2008 political campaign, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is set to issue a fiery promise to spend millions of dollars to defeat candidates deemed to be anti-business. "We plan to build a grass-roots business organization so strong that when it bites you in the butt, you bleed," chamber President Tom Donohue said.' [15]

(The dictionary definition of populist is, "representing or connected with the ideas and opinions of ordinary people".)[16]

Political action committee

The Chamber sponsored The November Fund, a 527 committee that opposes what it describes as frivolous lawsuits and trial lawyers and ran negative campaign advertisements against trial lawyer John Edwards, John Kerry's running mate during the 2004 presidential race.

VoteForBusiness

"Under Donohue’s leadership, the Chamber has also emerged as a major player in election politics, helping elect congressional pro-business candidates through financial support and voter activism and turnout generated through the Chamber’s grassroots organization," VoteForBusiness,[17] billed as "Your One-Stop Political Action, Education, and Involvement Tool".

Websites: http://www.voteforbusiness.net/ and http://www.voteforbusiness.com

Electioneering shell game

On October 31, 2006, Public Citizen filed a complaint[18] with the IRS asking it to investigate whether the Chamber and "its affiliated Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) failed to report millions in taxable spending from 2000 to 2004 intended to influence state-level attorney general and supreme court races and federal races around the country."[19]

It also asked the IRS to investigate whether Chamber and the ILR, "which are two separate legal entities, combined funds in a shared bank account to hide accurate reporting of investment or interest income for tax avoidance. ... Court records, internal corporate documents and media reports indicate that the Chamber and the ILR engaged in a massive campaign to affect the outcome of state and federal races through direct expenditures and grants made to organizations that carried out the Chamber’s wishes."[19]

Public Citizen reported that[19]

"In 2000, the Chamber claimed it spent $6 million on judicial races and took credit for winning 15 out of 17 state supreme court contests. In 2002, the Chamber said it planned to spend $40 million on political campaigns, divided equally between congressional and state-level attorneys general and judicial races. None of these activities were reported on their tax returns from 2000 to 2003.
"In 2004, the first year since at least 2000 that the Chamber and the ILR reported political expenditures, both organizations appear to have underreported their spending. They reported a combined $18 million, but in a 'President's Update' memo released the day after the November elections, Chamber President Thomas Donohue claimed the group had spent up to $30 million in races around the country.
"The Chamber and ILR also failed to report grants and allocations to outside groups as required by Line 22 of IRS Form 990. Both organizations reported no grants to outside groups from 2000 to 2004. But in a 2005 deposition, a Chamber official acknowledged that the Chamber had partnered with at least six outside groups to advance its agenda to avoid garnering unwanted critical attention. At least two 501(c) organizations, the Washington-based American Taxpayers Alliance and the Columbus-based Citizens for a Strong Ohio, reported receipt of contributions from the U.S. Chamber."

National Chamber Foundation

"The revitalized National Chamber Foundation, the Chamber’s public policy think tank, is shaping the policy debate on cutting-edge business issues, with major new initiatives on intellectual property theft and counterfeiting, capital markets and accounting rules, and travel and tourism."[17]

Law

Law firm

"The National Chamber Litigation Center, the Chamber’s law firm, has become more aggressive in challenging anti-business measures in court, setting a new record for cases entered in each of the last six years and securing 48 court victories in 2006."[17]

Legal reform

The Chamber has taken a lead role in the tort reform movement. It sponsors the Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), a 501(c)6 organization, and Legal Reform Now, a coalition of business associations, think tanks, and legal reform groups. Website: http://www.instituteforlegalreform.com/

On its website, the ILR posted a "State Liability Systems Ranking" which it calls "Lawsuit Climate 2007".[20]

Opposing "activist judges"

In late May 2005, the Chamber's Institute for Legal Reform President Lisa Rickard announced it was going to "reign in activist attorneys general."[21] At a Chamber-sponsored conference examining the "appropriate role" of a state attorney general, several speakers "complained that 'Spitzerism' has become a dangerous model for ambitious regulators," refering to New York AG Eliot Spitzer.[22]

Madison County Record (Illinois)

The Madison County Record, "an Illinois weekly newspaper launched in September [2004] that bills itself as the county's legal journal, reports on one subject: the state courts in southern Illinois," Jeffrey H. Birnbaum reported in the Washington Post.[23]

Birnbuam pointed to a "recent front page[that] carried an assortment of stories about lawsuits against businesses. In one, a woman sought $15,000 in damages for breaking her nose at a haunted house. In another, a woman sued a restaurant for $50,000 after she hurt her teeth on a chicken breast. ... Nowhere was it reported that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce created the Record as a weapon in its multimillion-dollar campaign against lawyers who file those kinds of suits," Birnbaum wrote.[23]

Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act

In October 2007, the Chamber filed a friend-of-the court filing in a class action lawsuit under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court which originated with a California RICO lawsuit involving Microsoft and Best Buy. The Chamber stated that "RICO is getting out of control as a device against business. It has been used in more than 4,500 cases since 2001, with only 35 of those cases filed by the government."[24] The Supreme Court overturned the appeal and ruled that Microsoft and Best Buy are subject to RICO laws.[25]

Trade

TradeRoots

The Chamber's TradeRoots website is billed as "the nation's leading sustained grassroots education program dedicated to raising public awareness of international trade on a local level."[26]

The Trade Toolbox, a "resource to help in the trade export process, ... includes trade statistics, country and market reports, best market reports, frequently asked questions and trade contacts." The Toolbox was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce.[27]

Website: http://www.traderoots.org/

TheTrueCosts.org

TheTrueCosts.org is a website sponsored by the Chamber. In conjunction with the Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (CACP), it has produced the No Trade in Fakes Supply Chain Tool Kit, which provides "proven strategies" for companies "to use to protect their supply chains from counterfeiters and modern-day pirates."[28]

Website: http://www.thetruecosts.org

Other issues

Opposing national health care reform

The U.S. Chamber sponsors the Campaign for Responsible Health Reform, a program created to convince people to preserve employer-sponsored health insurance and oppose a public insurance option in health care reform in the U.S. The Campaign aims to convince people that a government-sponsored plan is "fiscally reckless," will "lead us down the road to total government control of our health," and that it will make those with private insurance pay even more.[29]

The Campaign says that "a government-run plan that would have broad and unrivaled power to negotiate for low-cost services of doctors and other health care providers could put private insurers out of business."[30]

The group's Web site has a "Take Action" page that says "We can’t afford to let a government-run plan raise our taxes and create long waits for treatment." It urges people to write their Congress members to oppose "government-run health care."[31]

SCHIP veto

The Chamber is among a number of organizations which supported President George W. Bush's October 2007 veto of the SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007) bill.[32] Republicans and "some business groups" such as the Chamber contended SCHIP "should focus on poor children and the expansion [would be] a move towards government-run health care. They also worr[ied] identification rules in the Democratic SCHIP bill might allow illegal immigrants to obtain government coverage."[33]

National gas tax

"After a Minneapolis bridge collapsed on Aug. 1, [2007,] killing 13 people, members of Congress have sought to increase the gas tax to fix 'structurally deficient' bridges and make other infrastructure repairs. ... The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, groups that don’t normally agree with tax increases, support a national gas tax increase to pay for infrastructure improvements."[34]

Immigration amnesty and reform

The Chamber, "among others, has pushed for immigration reforms that would allow a path to citizenship for undocumented workers."[35]

In January 2004, speaking in support of amnesty for illegal aliens, Randel Y. Johnson, Chamber vice president for labor, immigration and employee benefits, said: "We need a system of 'earned targeted adjustment' for undocumented workers that fill vital roles in our economy, which would enable them to achieve legal status. We also need to expand permanent and temporary visas for workers to enter the United States legally to meet future workforce requirements."[36]

Social Security

The Chamber also has a role in promoting President George W. Bush's plan to privatize Social Security.

Energy

In March 2007, O'Dwyer's PR Daily reported that General James L. Jones, formerly the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe, had joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as a lobbyist.[37]

"Jones will head the Institute for Energy, which is to present itself as a grassroots organization. The Chamber went a similar path with the creation of the Institute for Legal Reform." Jones will focus on global warming and seek "to 'unify energy stakeholders behind a common strategy' to produce affordable and secure supplies while protecting the environment," reported O'Dwyer's, quoting Chamber president Tom Donohue.[37]

Lobbying spending

The Chamber ranks first in lobbying spending in the past decade, with General Electric ranking second at $161 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.[38]

Political Money Line[39] highlighted in February 2005 that the Chamber and its Institute for Legal Reform reported combined spending of $53.38 million for lobbying the Executive and Legislative branches during 2004. According to the watchdog website, "This is the largest twelve-month amount reported spent by any group."

The Chamber reported spending $20,060,000 in the first six months of 2004 and $8,780,000 in the last six months of 2004. They paid forty-five lobbyists in the last six months of 2004 to lobby on thirty-two issue areas, including "Trade, Small Business, Labor, Healthcare, Defense, Appropriations, Tort Reform and other areas."[40]

The Institute for Legal Reform reported spending $10,000,000 in the first six months of 2004 and $14,540,000 in the last six months. They had five lobbyists on the payroll for the last six months of 2004, working on the tort reform issue including "Class Action Fairness, Asbestos Injury Resolution, Legal Reform, and Lawsuit Abuse Reduction."[41]

Election cycle spending

Other spending reported by Political Money Line or Open Secrets:

  • In 2007, $21.2 million total was spent by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its subsidiary the Institute for Legal Reform (ILR); $11.78 million for the Chamber and $9.4 million by ILR.[42]
  • In 2006, $72.7 million total was spent by the Chamber and ILR; $45.7 million for the Chamber and $27 million for the ILR.[43]
  • In 2005, $39.8 million total was spent by the Chamber and ILR; $20 million for the Chamber and $19.8 million for ILR.[44]
  • In 2004, $53.4 million total was spent by the Chamber and ILR; $28.8 million for the Chamber and $24.5 million for ILR.[45]
  • In 2003, $34.6 million total was spent by the Chamber and ILR. For the period 7/1/03 to 6/30/04 they spent $47.8 million.
  • In 2002, $41.56 million total was spent by the Chamber and ILR. For the period 7/1/02 to 6/30/03 they spent $45.6 million.
  • In 2001, $20.6 million total was spent by the Chamber and ILR. For the period 7/1/01 to 6/30/02 they spent $25.9 million.

Affiliated centers / organizations

Senior management

The following are listed as members of the Chamber's senior management.[49]

Board members

The following are listed as members of the Chamber's board of directors.[50]

Also see the lists of regional vice chairmen;[51] the senior council;[52] and all members of the board of directors.[53]

Contact information

United States Chamber of Commerce
1615 H Street NW
Washington, DC 20062-2000
Telephone: 202 659-6000
Fax: 202 463-5836
Website: http://www.uschamber.com/

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch articles

References

  1. ↑ Matt Stoller, "Tom Donahue, the 'Gang of 6' and Red America," MyDD, December 13, 2006.
  2. ↑ About, USChamber.com.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "USA : Chamber backs fight against internet piracy," U.S. Chamber of Commerce (Fibre2Fashion.com), October 19, 2007.
  4. ↑ Tom Lochner, "Chamber hopes local promotion of green business produces national results," ContraCostaTimes, October 22, 2007.
  5. ↑ "Climate Change," U.S. Chamber of Commerce, accessed October 2009.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Deborah Zabarenko, "Rift at U.S. Chamber of Commerce over climate change," Scientific American, September 30, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Out the Door: Exelon Leaves Chamber of Commerce over Climate Policy,"] Wall Street Journal, September 28, 2009.
  8. ↑ Jenna Staul, "Apple Quits Chamber Of Commerce Over Climate Change," Huffington Post, October 5, 2009.
  9. ↑ Jenna Staul, "Nike Quits Chamber Of Commerce Board Of Directors," Huffington Post, September 30, 2009.
  10. ↑ Sam Stein, "Yes Men Pull Off Chamber Of Commerce Hoax On Climate Change," Huffington Post, October 19, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Quit the Chamber. Join the Planet.", CREDO Action, accessed October 2009.
  12. ↑ StopTheChamber.com, accessed October 2009.
  13. ↑ Jaimy Lee, "Sides in 'card check' debate intensify PR efforts," PR Week, March 20, 2009.
  14. ↑ Brody Mullins, "New Ads Intensify Fight on Union Bill," Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), April 13, 2009.
  15. ↑ Tom Hamburger, "Chamber of Commerce vows to punish anti-business candidates", Los Angeles Times, January 8, 2008.
  16. ↑ Definition: populist, Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, accessed April 2008.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Management: Donohue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, accessed October 22, 2007.
  18. ↑ Complaint filed with the IRS, October 31, 2006, by Public Citizen.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 News Release: "U.S. Chamber of Commerce Failed to Report Electioneering Spending and Grants, Public Citizen Asks IRS to Investigate. Chamber Spent Millions to Influence State and Federal Races," Public Citizen, October 31, 2006.
  20. ↑ "Lawsuit Climate 2007: Rating the States," InstituteforLegalReform, accessed October 22, 2007.
  21. ↑ News Release: "U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform: Rein in Activist State Attorneys General; Curb 'Regulation through Litigation' and Contingency Fee Deals," USNewswire, May 26, 2005.
  22. ↑ Barrie McKenna, "Corporate America declares war on 'Spitzerism'," The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada), May 27, 2005.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, "Advocacy Groups Blur Media Lines. Some Push Agendas By Producing Movies, Owning Newspapers," Washington Post, December 6, 2004.
  24. ↑ Scott Bekker, "Microsofted Up. Mafia law pops up in legal dispute over Microsoft-Best Buy arrangement," Redmond Channel Partner Online, October 16, 2007.
  25. ↑ "Supreme Court: Microsoft, Best Buy Subject to Racketeering Laws," eFluxMedia.com, October 16, 2007.
  26. ↑ TradeRoots.org.
  27. ↑ Trade toolbox, TradeRoots.org.
  28. ↑ Resources: SupplyChain, TheTrueCosts.org.
  29. ↑ Campaign for Responsible Health Reform The Campaign, Web page, accessed August 18, 2009
  30. ↑ Campaign for Responsible Health Reform FAQs, accessed August 18, 2009
  31. ↑ Campaign for Responsible Health Reform Take Action, accessed August 18, 2009
  32. ↑ "Barrett Supports Bush On SCHIP," Campaigns & Elections, October 18, 2007.
  33. ↑ Mike Sunnucks, "SCHIP override falls short," The Business Journal of Phoenix, October 18, 2007.
  34. ↑ Jim Snyder, "‘...We are absolutely failing ... in how the system is performing’," The Hill, October 19, 2007.
  35. ↑ Josh Flory, "The Reich Way. Former labor secretary, author calls for Americans to reclaim democracy," Knoxville News Sentinel Co., October 20, 2007.
  36. ↑ "Organizations Supporting Amnesty for Illegal Aliens," Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), undated.
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 "Jones Works Energy Front," O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), March 5, 2007.
  38. ↑ Dan Morain, "Tinseltown filling campaign coffers. Democrats are reaping the benefits of wealthy and glamorous donors while entertainment executives hope to be heard in Washington," Los Angeles Times, October 18, 2007.
  39. ↑ Political Money Line.
  40. ↑ Lobbying Report for 2004: Chamber of Commerce of the USA, Senate ID#8817 and House ID#31886000.
  41. ↑ Lobbying Report for 2004: U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, Senate ID#51172-12, House ID#34805000.
  42. ↑ Lobbying database, 2007: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, OpenSecrets.org. Totals are as posted by October 22, 2007.
  43. ↑ Lobbying database, 2006: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, OpenSecrets.org.
  44. ↑ Lobbying database, 2005: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, OpenSecrets.org.
  45. ↑ Lobbying database, 2004: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, OpenSecrets.org
  46. ↑ Membership list, EWIC.org.
  47. ↑ Deborah Platt Majoras, Remarks of Deborah Platt Majoras, Chairman, Federal Trade Commission, before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the launch of its Global Regulatory Cooperation Project, July 17, 2007,
  48. ↑ Nell Luter Ford, "Still a job to do," The Clarion-Ledger, October 21, 2007.
  49. ↑ Management, USChamber.com, accessed October 22, 2007.
  50. ↑ Board, USChamber.com, accessed October 22, 2007.
  51. ↑ Regional, USChamber.com, accessed October 22, 2007.
  52. ↑ Senior, USChamber.com, accessed October 22, 2007.
  53. ↑ All, USChamber.com, accessed October 22, 2007.

External resources

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