Friends of the U.S. Chamber | What We're Watching

Have you weighed in on Immigration?

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:03:55 -0500

Pelosi: Obamacare is responsible for reducing the deficit

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:37:55 -0500

Obama's first 100 days

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:57:47 -0500

Late last month, President Obama held his 100th day press conference, during which he spent most of his time defending the health care law, saying:

“Even if we do everything perfectly, there will still be glitches and bumps...That’s pretty much true of every government program that’s ever been set up.”

We won’t argue with that. However, I’d say implementation is facing more than a few “glitches and bumps.” Let’s take a look at the recent news stories about Obamacare:

A new Kaiser poll shows that just 35 percent of Americans support the law. That’s the lowest in two years. But perhaps even more problematic is that 42 percent don’t even know about the law.
Yesterday, Sen. Harry Reid came out echoing Sen. Baucus’ comments that Obamacare could become a train wreck. Interesting that two of the bill’s biggest advocates are suddenly distancing themselves from the massive overhaul. What do they know that we don't?
Even Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius admits that the law will raise premiums for many Americans.
The Congressional Budget Office continues to revise its cost estimates for the law upward. From an initial 2010 estimate of costing just under $900 billion over ten years, CBO now says the law will cost $1.8 trillion between 2013 and 2023 – a mere trillion-dollar difference.
Yesterday’s ADP report showed slowing growth in the private sector, especially with small businesses who continue to point to the health care law as a hurdle to hiring.

We’re going to need your help to avoid this train wreck.

Sign on in support of real reform now.

Happy Mother's Day!

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:09:26 -0500

With Mother’s Day this Sunday, we’re reminded of how important and influential moms are both in our lives, and to the vibrancy of the American economy.

A recent study of 59 economies found that for the first time in 13 years women are creating businesses at a greater rate than men in three countries, and at a nearly equal rate in four others.

Mothers bring a unique skill set to the workplace. From multitasking to balancing priorities, creative problem solving and coping with unexpected challenges, women are utilizing the skills they develop as moms to help grow their companies and take them to new heights.

This Mother’s Day, let’s celebrate our moms. Not just for the critical role they play in our lives, but also for the unique and indispensable role they play in the American workplace.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Faulty Numbers

Fri, 10 May 2013 08:27:45 -0500

Earlier this week, we told you about efforts to derail immigration reform, namely a report from the Heritage Foundation that claims reform will cost U.S. taxpayers $6.3 trillion.

No sooner had the report hit the circuit that the study’s serious flaws were pointed out.

Even a former staffer from Heritage criticized the new report for using flawed assumptions and disregarding dynamic analysis of the positive impacts...

The report fails to take into consideration a true costs-benefit study. The research focuses solely on fiscal effects, and ignores the powerful long-term economic benefits – in what researchers call “a lack of dynamic analysis.” As a recent blog post on our Free Enterprise site points out “A glaring flaw in [the] headline-grabbing analysis is its static nature. They argue that reform would generate a $6.3 trillion fiscal deficit all things being equal. That’s the kicker. All things would not be equal.”

Here are some additional headlines:

This issue is too important to let factional fights derail the underlying issue. The system is broken and this study has the potential to lead to an even costlier alternative – doing nothing at all– which perpetuates the status quo.

We’re better than that – send a letter today.

Ann Callis Announces Run in IL-13

Wed, 08 May 2013 14:22:51 -0500

Myth vs Fact

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:55:22 -0500

As you know, last week a group of bipartisan Senators introduced a piece of legislation aimed at fixing our broken immigration system.

Good policy and sound economics must be the foundation of any effort to reform immigration – and this bill has both. No doubt you’ve heard of efforts to derail the legislation before consideration even gets underway, but the evidence supporting reform is overwhelming.

And the fact of the matter is that doing nothing on immigration is de facto amnesty.

We have long advocated for reform that will increase border security, make our country more competitive through visa reform and a workable employment verification system, and provide for a path forward for undocumented workers under tight criteria.

The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744), introduced last week, meets those goals.

The bill is a starting point for rebuilding the U.S. economy, revitalizing the middle class, and making sure that America maintains its role as the beacon of hope and opportunity for the world.

Senator Marco Rubio has led efforts to correct misinformation about the bill. His efforts show that the only way we can get this done is by working together to ensure that people know the facts. I wanted to share a few of those points with you, in hopes you’ll help spread the word as well.

Myth vs. Fact

S. 744 is not an “amnesty bill”: The earliest that any of the 11 million illegal immigrants would be eligible for a green card is ten years – and that’s after they have paid steep fines, undergo background checks, and pay taxes. On the other hand, doing nothing is de facto amnesty.
S. 744 will not harm U.S. workers: Despite the rhetoric, immigration – illegal or otherwise – is not the source of America’s economic woes. Quite the contrary, the U.S. suffers from a “skills gap” – meaning there are jobs, but not enough qualified Americans to fill them. Creating a temporary worker program would help shore up this gap, allow businesses to get the employees they need, and begin growing the middle class.

You can read the full list here.

Instead of pointing fingers and resorting to propaganda, what if we took the time to fully consider what’s included and worked together to address concerns and ensure passage? This is the closest we’ve come in decades to fixing this problem. Are we really going to let politics derail us again?

That’s where you come in. As the Senate begins the hearing and markup process on S. 744, contact your Senators and urge them to give this bill full consideration and commit to addressing this issue before the year’s end.

We must show Washington that those of us who believe in good policy, good economics, and the perseverance of the American dream believe in the reality of immigration reform.

Contact your Senators today.

Protect Innovation

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:00:17 -0500

Last week, while testifying before the Senate Budget Committee, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew defended the medical device tax hidden in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, calling it “a critical component of the health care law that can’t easily be replaced.”

Earth to Lew. A punitive tax intended to pay for the massive bill of the health care law at the expense of innovation should have never been included in the first place.

Imposed on medical device manufacturers whether or not they make a profit, this new 2.3 percent tax on the sale of virtually all medical devices will lead to increased health care costs, undercutting one of the primary goals of health care reform.

Not only is it a punitive tax that singles out a particular industry, it simply isn’t a health care issue. The tax was imposed solely to generate revenue to help pay for the massive health care overhaul.

Clearly no one thought too far ahead on this one.

Additionally, a study from AdvaMed estimates that 43,000 jobs could be lost because of the medical device tax. That’s because it raises taxes on the medical device industry by almost 30%.

The impact is already being felt through layoffs at device manufacturers around the country. In the long term, cuts in research and development will limit access to life-improving and life-saving innovations.

Combined with the high corporate tax rate already imposed on the research and development and manufacturing industries, the medical device tax is a huge disincentive for companies to stay and grow in the United States.

As the AdvaMed President and CEO said in a letter to Secretary Lew,

“That is directly contrary to the Administration and our industry’s shared goal of keeping and growing good jobs in the U.S.”

More taxes, fewer jobs, less innovation, and higher costs; that doesn’t make sense to us at all.

Fortunately, there is a growing group of bipartisan legislators who agree. Make sure your member of Congress is one of them by sending a letter urging them to support repeal today.

Rubio Hits the Sunday Airwaves, Making Sense On Immigration Reform

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:38:39 -0500

March Jobs Report

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:06:49 -0500

In breaking news last week, the most recent jobs report showed that the economy generated just 88,000 new jobs in March, the smallest gain we’ve seen in 10 months.

While much of the attention in the media will be paid to the unemployment number dipping just slightly, from 7.7% to 7.6%, that doesn’t tell the whole story. In reality, the unemployment number dipped because more Americans are leaving the workforce -- 500,000 people have dropped out since February. The labor participation rate is now at 63.3%, a new 30-year low, the lowest since 1979.

All told, 90 million Americans have stopped looking for work and are out of the labor force.

However striking these numbers are, the sentiment of America’s small businesses could have proved as a harbinger of today’s news. In our Q1 Small Business Outlook Survey released yesterday, 79% of small business respondents said they still believe that the American economy is off on the wrong track.

There’s a reason for that. As the Chamber’s Chief Economist Dr. Martin Regalia said:

“Though the general trends of the economy seem to be improving, a closer look shows full time employment dropping, and Washington needs to enact policies that will breed confidence and encourage small businesses to expand, instead of cutting back staff and employees’ hours.”

He’s right, and America’s small businesses know what they need to succeed. Our survey showed broad small business support for policies that will promote economic growth through removing government barriers, controlling government spending, lowering taxes, tackling immigration reform, and increasing domestic energy production.

You can read the full survey results here.

Disappointing jobs reports have, unfortunately, become a regular part of our life for the last few years, but they don’t have to be our future. Washington must start listening to our small businesses to get American working again.

Do you support the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline?

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:51:47 -0500

Recently, Pew Research released results to a new poll that showed a majority (66%) of Americans spanning across the country and across party lines want to see Keystone XL built.

Do you agree?

[poll_id:20]

A Friends' Guide to Budget Week

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:31:47 -0500

This week, the House and Senate introduced dueling budget proposals on Capitol Hill. In order to cut through the clutter, we thought we would outline everything you need to know right now about the competing plans. Bottom line: it’s the difference between night and day.

Rep. Paul Ryan, Chairman of the House Budget Committee proposed to balance the federal budget in 10 years. Other highlights include:

Finally, Mr. Ryan's proposal will balance the budget without raising taxes at all.

In stark contrast, Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray’s plan was also introduced this week. The Senator’s budget blueprint includes $1 trillion in new taxes and reduces, but does not balance, the budget by $800 billion over ten years. Other highlights include:

Economic stimulus: The Murray budget proposes $100 billion in economic stimulus programs focusing on infrastructure and job training.
Spending cuts: The Murray plan also proposes $475 billion in unspecified spending cuts, including $275 billion in health care savings, but includes no net new cuts.

At first glance, which plan do you support? Vote in our quick poll.

Both Ryan and Murray promise more details of their plan in the coming days and weeks, so stay tuned. The budget battle has just begun.

Which budget proposal to you prefer?

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:21:35 -0500

This week, the House and Senate introduced dueling budget proposals on Capitol Hill. The difference between the two is striking. Upon first glance, which plan do you prefer?

Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan proposes achieving a balanced federal budget over the next 10 years while addressing tax, Medicare, and Medicaid reforms. The plan also puts special emphasis on reducing government-run health care spending and encouraging energy independence.

Senator Patty Murray’s budget blueprint includes $1 trillion in new taxes, and reduces, the budget by $800 billion over ten years, but does not balance the budget. The plan also includes $100 billion in economic stimulus programs focusing on infrastructure and job training.

[poll_id:19]

Noel Canning v. NLRB

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:25:16 -0600

As you may know, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit recently invalidated the President’s National Labor Relation Boards (NLRB) “recess appointments” in the Noel Canning v. NLRB decision. In short, the Supreme Court said the President’s actions were unconstitutional.

The U. S. Chamber led the way, challenging the President’s recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The ruling now calls into question hundreds of rulings made by the NLRB; they could all be rendered null and void. This is a huge deal.

I don’t need to tell you that the NLRB is one of the most activist agencies through its agenda against our country’s employers. And the U.S. Chamber’s successful challenge to the appointments was viewed as a huge victory for America’s job creators.

However, our relief was short lived.

The NLRB has decided to essentially ignore the court’s ruling and proceed with business as usual, and just yesterday we learned that the President has re-nominated the unconstitutional appointments to the posts.

Employers continue to be sidelined with uncertainty about the NLRB’s rulings and if they are valid and require compliance. And the Administration and NLRB continue to think they are above the law.

Grassroots Survey Results

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:36:07 -0600

We asked and you answered.

We recently opened a survey to our grassroots Friends to get your input on how we're doing and what we can do to serve your interestes better. Thanks to everyone who already participated. This survey is a great chance to make your voice heard, and will play a big role during the key debates over the national debt, balancing the budget, and taxes that will impact our country for years to come.

If you haven't participated, please click here to let your voice be heard. We would love to have your input before the survey closes.

Here are a few things we've learned so far:

96% believe that the Free Enterprise system has the best solutions to lead the economic recovery
85% oppose Obamacare
71% belive spending and economic uncertainty are the biggest challenges to overcome
92% of you said that Washington has a spending problem.

Tom Donohue on his Keystone Pipeline push

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:02:18 -0600

A recent poll showed that 69% of American support building the Keystone XL pipeline and other projects that would bring North American oil to U.S. refineries. With gas prices on close to a $.50 rise since January, it’s no wonder that more than two-thirds of Americans are looking for greater access to secure oil supplies.

Tom Donohue, the Chamber's President and CEO, was on Fox News with Neil Cavuto yesterday to discuss why passing the pipeline is a good idea for American jobs and energy security. Following news that the U.S. Chamber had reached an agreement on lesser-skilled work visas, he also discussed why immigration reform will help keep America and American jobs competitive.

Watch the full clip below.

Out of Excuses on Keystone XL Pipeline

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:35:08 -0600

By now we're sure you’ve heard about last weekend’s anti-Keystone XL Pipeline protest in Washington, D.C. where diehard environmentalist braved the February chill to oppose the creation of 250,000 jobs, a new revenue source for government, and energy independence that would boost our national security.

Obviously that’s not how they’d characterize it. In their view, the Keystone XL pipeline threatens the environment, despite numerous studies showing otherwise.

Last month, Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman signed off on a new route for the pipeline through his state after an exhaustive look at the environmental impact, and 53 U.S. Senators signed a letter to President Obama that urged him to approve the pipeline immediately. As the letter stated, “We urge you to choose jobs, economic development and American energy security,” adding that Keystone “has gone through the most exhaustive environmental scrutiny of any pipeline” in U.S. history.

In response to the protests, even the editors at USA Today editorial team echoed the Senators’ call for swift approval, saying:

“Much of the opposition to Keystone has come from critics who say running a big pipeline through the heart of the USA is too risky. Haven't they noticed that tens of thousands of miles of oil pipelines already crisscross the United States? As long as the nation's quarter-billion vehicles rely almost exclusively on gasoline and diesel, pipelines are the safest and most efficient way to move it.”

It’s time to stop clogging America’s pathway towards more jobs, more revenue, and more energy independence with false arguments. Join us in urging the president to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline and click here to send him an email today.

Where do you stand on immigration reform?

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:40:01 -0600

Do you support immigration reform that strengthens our competitiveness? Leave a comment below and tell us your thoughts on this issue.

Not a spending problem?

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 11:50:26 -0600

This weekend, Nancy Pelosi told Fox News Sunday that “it is almost a false argument to say we have a spending problem.”

In reality, America is $16.5 trillion in debt and $122.6 trillion in unfunded liabilities. That works out to over $146,000 of debt and over $1 million in liabilities per taxpayer.

So, what do you think? Does America have a spending problem? Watch the full interview, and leave your comments below.

Spending is the Problem

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:17:35 -0600

We’ve heard political promises and lofty rhetoric from the talking heads telling us that the only way to grow the economy and create jobs is to increase government spending. They tell us that in order to cut the deficit and salvage our entitlement programs, we need to increase revenue through more of your tax dollars.

But as you can see in the chart, we are already at historic levels of government spending and tax revenue. And yet… it’s still not high enough for some.

These tax increases barely make a dent in our spending problem and are already slowing growth. CBO projects the economy will grow by just 1.4 percent this year? Likely, it won’t be long before Washington starts digging into middle-class pockets. Even the staunchest proponents of tax increases admit raising rates to the levels needed to cut the deficit would ruin job creation.

This can’t continue; the math simply doesn’t work. Do you agree?