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The '''United States Chamber of Commerce''' (USCC) is the world's largest [[not-for-profit]] [[lobbying]] group, representing many [[business]]es and [[Trade association|association]]s across the [[United States of America]] and throughout the world. It is not an agency of the United States government.
The '''United States Chamber of Commerce''' (USCC) is a [[lobbying]] group in the United States of America, representing many [[business]]es and [[Trade association|association]]s across the [[USA]] and throughout the world. It is not an agency of the United States government.


The Chamber is staffed with policy specialists, lobbyists and lawyers. Politically, the Chamber is generally considered to be a conservative organization.{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} It is known for spending more money than any other lobbying organization on a yearly basis.<ref name="toplobby">{{cite web| title = Top lobbyists in the US | url = http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php | accessdate = 7.8.2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
The Chamber is staffed with policy specialists, lobbyists and lawyers. Politically, the Chamber is generally considered to be a conservative organization.{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} It is known for spending more money than any other lobbying organization on a yearly basis.<ref name="toplobby">{{cite web| title = Top lobbyists in the US | url = http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php | accessdate = 7.8.2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web

Revision as of 15:06, 14 November 2010

United States Chamber of Commerce
Founded1912
FounderCharles Nagel
TypeAdvocacy group
FocusBusiness advocacy
Location
Area served
United States United States industry
MethodMedia attention, direct-appeal campaigns
Political lobbying
Key people
Tom J. Donohue President
Websiteuschamber.com

The United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is a lobbying group in the United States of America, representing many businesses and associations across the USA and throughout the world. It is not an agency of the United States government.

The Chamber is staffed with policy specialists, lobbyists and lawyers. Politically, the Chamber is generally considered to be a conservative organization.[citation needed] It is known for spending more money than any other lobbying organization on a yearly basis.[1][2]

History

Chamber of Commerce Building in New York

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's own history of itself describes it as originating from an April 12, 1912 meeting of delegates.[3] More than 90 years later, the Chamber claims a direct membership of 300,000 businesses, and 3 million through its various affiliates such as state and local chambers.[4] Some of the Chamber’s members and donors are Goldman Sachs, Chevron, Texaco, and Aegon.[5]

The US Chamber is different from local and state chambers of commerce located in many cities, towns and states nationwide. The US Chamber focuses on national issues on the federal government level. Local and state chambers of commerce are independently started and operated organizations. Local chambers focus on local issues, and state chambers on state issues.[6]

United States Chamber of Commerce building at 1615 H Street, NW in Washington, D.C. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Washington, DC headquarters of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce occupies land that was formerly the home of Daniel Webster.[7]

On the issues

The Chamber's positions include:

Lobbying

The Chamber has emerged as the largest lobbying organization in America. It spent $91.7 million on lobbying in 2008, and $144.5 million in 2009, up from $18.7 million in 2000. The Chamber's lobbying expenditures in 2009 were five times as high as the next highest spender: Exxon Mobil, at $27.4 million.[15] The Chamber had more than 150 lobbyists from 25 different firms working on its behalf in 2009. The major issues that it advocated on were in the categories of torts, government issues, finance, banking and taxes.

International network

As of October 2010, the Chamber had a worldwide network of 115 American Chamber of Commerce affiliates located in 108 countries.[16] The US Chamber says that a “relative handful” of the Chamber’s 300,000 members are “non-U.S.-based (foreign) companies.” It adds that, “No foreign money is used to fund political activities.” A US Chamber executive has said that the organization has had “foreign multinationals” (foreign companies) as members for “over a century, many for decades.”[17] The US Chamber states that it receives approximately $100,000 annually in membership dues from its foreign affiliates.[18]

Election activities

In the 2008 election cycle, aggressive ads paid for by the USCC attacked a number of Democratic congressional candidates (such as Minnesota's DFL Senate candidate Al Franken) and supported a number of Republican candidates including John Sununu, Gordon Smith, Roger Wicker, Saxby Chambliss and Elizabeth Dole.

During the 2010 campaign cycle, the Chamber said it planned to directly spend $75 million, reported to be mostly aimed at defeating Democrats.[19] That year, the Chamber's PAC also gave $29,000 (89 percent) to Republican candidates and $3,500 (11 percent) to Democratic candidates.[20] The Chamber's PAC received a total of 76 donations from individual donors ($200 or more donation) totaling $79,852 in 2007-2008, or an average of three donations per month.[21]

From 2009 to 2010, major Chamber donors have included Prudential Financial ($2 million), Dow Chemical ($1.7 million), and News Corporation ($1 million). From 2004 to 2008, seven corporate donors gave the chamber about two-thirds of its total donations of $17 million. These donors were Goldman Sachs, Edward Jones, Alpha Technologies, Chevron, Texaco and Aegon. In 2008, almost half of its $140 million in contributions came from 45 donors.[5]

Controversies

In April 2009, the Chamber began an ad campaign against the proposed Employee Free Choice Act.[22] Critics such as the National Association of Manufacturers have contended that additional use of card check elections will lead to overt coercion on the part of union organizers. Opponents of the Employee Free Choice Act also claim, referring to perceived lack of access to a secret ballot, that the measure would not protect employee privacy. Hence they claim the act will reduce workers' rights.[23]

The Chamber has developed a hardline stance against action on climate change, a policy which may have breached its internal rules, as it was not passed by a board vote.[24] In September and October 2009, several companies quit the Chamber due to the Chamber's stance on environmental impact reform, including Exelon Corp, PG&E Corp, PNM Resources, Apple Inc,[25] and Mohawk Fine Papers.[26] Nike, Inc has decided to resign from their board of directors position but to continue their membership. Nike stated that they believe they can better influence the policy by being part of the conversation.[27] In response to an online campaign of Prius owners organized by Moveon.org, Toyota has stated that it is not leaving the Chamber.[28]

The Chamber wants to force the E.P.A. to arrange a climate science hearing before any federal climate regulation is passed.[29][30][31]

Some observers say that the Chamber, by so fiercely opposing most of the Democrats’ agenda, has become its own worst enemy. Peter Darbee, CEO of former chamber member PG&E (a utility company in California), said, “I'm struck by the irony that, as we try to restore public trust in business on the one hand, on the other the Chamber's behavior on the climate issue only reinforces stereotypes that erode that very same confidence." Hillary Rosen, former CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America added, "Their aggressive ways are out of step with a new generation of business leadership who are looking for more cooperative relationship with Washington.” In response, David Chavern, the Chamber’s COO said, "We are not crazy or outside the mainstream." [32]

It has been reported that the Chamber has falsely inflated the number of members.[33] The Chamber says this is a "misunderstanding of the U.S. Chamber's structure".[4]

In November 2009, the Chamber was reported to be seeking to spend $50,000 to hire a "respected economist" to produce a study that could be used to portray health-care legislation as a job killer and threat to the nation's economy. James P. Gelfand, the author of the e-mail detailing this project, assumes ahead of time that the study will reach such a conclusion.[34]

In December 2009, activist group Velvet Revolution, under the name StopTheChamber, posted a $200,000 reward for "information leading to the arrest and conviction of Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donahue".[35] After this fact was reported by Fox News, the group reported receiving death threats.[36]

In October 2010, President Barack Obama and other US legislators asked the IRS and Federal Elections Commission to ensure that the foreign funds that the Chamber receives are not used for political activities.[37] The Chamber has responded that “No foreign money is used to fund political activities.” [17]

Affiliate organizations

References

  1. ^ "Top lobbyists in the US". Retrieved 7.8.2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ Allen, Jonathan (2009-10-20). "U.S. Chamber: $34.7 million in lobbying". Politico.
  3. ^ "U.S. Chamber of Commerce website, "History"". Uschamber.com. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  4. ^ a b "Propaganda and Pearlstein". Retrieved 10.22.2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  5. ^ a b "Top Companies Aid Chamber of Commerce in Policy Fights". New York Times. 22 Oct 2010.
  6. ^ US Chamber, FAQ, accessed Oct 23 2010, http://www.uschamber.com/about/faqs
  7. ^ "U.S. Chamber of Commerce website, "History of the building"". Uschamber.com. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  8. ^ ""Tom Donohue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce on outsourcing and offshoring" (2007) Interview conducted and hosted by". Ventureoutsource.com. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  9. ^ a b Verini, James (1912-04-12). ""Show Him the Money" by James Verini (July, 2010)". Washington Monthly. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  10. ^ Montopoli, Brian (26 July 2010). "Obama Slams GOP For Opposing DISCLOSE Act Meant to Expose "Shadow Groups" Behind Ads". CBS News.
  11. ^ Tankersley, Jim (2009-08-25). "U.S. Chamber of Commerce seeks trial on global warming". LA Times. Retrieved 2009-09-07. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  12. ^ Anderson, Mitchell (2009-09-07). "Global Warming's New Scopes Monkey Trial". The Tyee. Retrieved 2009-09-07. {{cite web}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
  13. ^ DeMelle, Brendan (2009-9-22). "PG&E Quits U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Nike Fed Up Too". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2009-12-29. {{cite web}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); External link in |authorlink= (help)
  14. ^ Henry, David (17 January 2005). "Death, Taxes, & Sarbanes-Oxley?". Business Week.
  15. ^ Los Angeles Times, 8 March 2010, "U.S. Chamber of Commerce grows into a political force": accessed 9 March 2010.
  16. ^ Politifact, St. Petersburg Times, Oct 11 2010, President Barack Obama says foreign funds received by the US Chamber may be helping to fund attack ads, http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/oct/11/barack-obama/president-barack-obama-says-foreign-money-coming-u/
  17. ^ a b ABC News, Chamber of Commerce The White House Wants Our Donor List, http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/10/chamber-of-commerce-the-white-house-wants-our-donor-lists-so-its-allies-can-intimidate-our-donors.html
  18. ^ Abdullah, Halimah (12 October 2010). "Democratic Partisans Up in Arms Against US Chamber Donations". Kansas City Star. Retrieved 26 October 2010. [dead link]
  19. ^ Chamber of Commerce under fire for foreign cash, Politico
  20. ^ "Center for Responsive Politics, US Chamber of Commerce summary". Opensecrets.org. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  21. ^ "Center for Responsive Politics, 31Oct 2009". Opensecrets.org. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  22. ^ [1]
  23. ^ "Issue Alert: CARD_CHECK". Bipac.net. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  24. ^ Mother Jones, 7 October 2009, Inside the Chamber of Carbon
  25. ^ (Reuters) "Apple, citing climate, tells U.S. Chamber iQuit", 5 October 2009: accessed 5 October 2009.
  26. ^ Jaimy Lee (20 October 2009). "Chamber in overdrive following Yes Men prank". PR Weel. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  27. ^ (Nike) "Nike US Chamber Statement", 30 September 2009: accessed 6 October 2009.
  28. ^ Goldenberg, Suzanne. "Toyota: We're staying in US chamber of commerce". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  29. ^ "Apollo Daily Digest » 350.org". Apolloalliance.org. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  30. ^ [2][dead link]
  31. ^ "The Tyee – Global Warming's New Scopes Monkey Trial". Thetyee.ca. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  32. ^ Stier, Ken (2009-10-31). "Is the chamber its own worst enemy?, TIME, 31Oct 2009". Time.com. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  33. ^ "Chamber Rejects Use of Term "3 Million Members"". Mother Jones. 2009-10-23. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  34. ^ Shear, Michael D. (16 November 2009). "Opponents of health-care effort look to fund a critical economic study". The Washington Post. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  35. ^ Activist Group Puts Bounty on Chamber of Commerce CEO, Fox News
  36. ^ "Fox 'News' Fans Flood Anti-U.S. Chamber Campaign With Death Threats, Racial Attacks". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  37. ^ FactCheck.org, The Chamber and Foreign Contributors, http://www.factcheck.org/2010/10/the-chamber-and-foreign-contributions/
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