United States Chamber Of Commerce

United States Chamber of Commerce
Basic facts
Location:	Washington, D.C.
Type:	501(c)(6)
Year founded:	1912
Website:	Official website

The United States Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership organization that aims to advocate for pro-business policies at the federal level. The organization is based in Washington, D.C., and has seven regional offices across the country. Members include businesses, local chambers of commerce, trade and professional associations and organizations representing American business interests abroad.^[1][2]

Mission[edit]

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce

“

...serves its members and the nation's business community by analyzing national economic and social issues and by helping legislators and national leaders to shape policies and proposals to foster the development of American business.[3]

”

^[4]

History[edit]

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was established in 1912, when President William Howard Taft asked for a group of business community representatives to work with the government on business affairs. The organization's initial work concerned infrastructure and transportation, with the group supporting the creation of the Federal Trade Commission in April 1914. During the Great Depression, the organization supported the Revenue Act of 1938. After World War II, they supported further infrastructure development, advocating the creation of the U.S. Department of Transportation in 1966.^[2]

In 1994, the organization supported the signing and implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). According to the Chamber of Commerce's website, the group began lobbying the federal government in 1997. Their website notes that the group's "primary mission is to win legislative victories for business on Capitol Hill."^[2]

Work[edit]

The Chamber has advocated for public policy initiatives in the following issue areas, according to its website:^[5]

The Chamber's 2015 priorities focused on the organization's Jobs, Growth and Opportunity Agenda. These priorities include "expanding trade, producing more domestic energy, improving infrastructure, modernizing the regulatory process, making essential changes to entitlements, fixing the flaws in Obamacare, curbing lawsuit abuse, and advancing American innovation by protecting intellectual property." The agenda also focuses on revitalizing capital markets, passing immigration reform and improving education and training, which will expand opportunity, address inequality, and create jobs."^[6]

In 2016, the Chamber continued to support the Jobs, Growth, and Opportunity Agenda.^[7]

In 2020, the Chamber focused on 17 policy areas including energy, immigration, intellectual property, and legal reform.^[8] The Chamber also responded to the coronavirus pandemic, saying, "No business or family should go bankrupt because of this crisis. The U.S. Chamber is committed to providing every business and worker the help they need."^[9]

Political activity[edit]

2018 elections[edit]

Endorsement of Mary Glassman (D) in CT-5[edit]

The day before the August 14 Democratic primary for Connecticut's 5th Congressional District, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed Mary Glassman over Jahana Hayes. The group said Glassman "has a clear vision to champion free trade, develop a sound immigration policy, fix America’s crumbling infrastructure, and support students from classroom to career.” Hayes, by contrast, was endorsed by progressive groups like Democracy for America and Our Revolution and, unlike Glassman, supported single-payer healthcare.^[10] Hayes defeated Glassman in the primary.

According to the Daily Kos, this was the first time the U.S. Chamber had endorsed a candidate in a Democratic primary since it backed U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) in 2010.^[11]

2016 elections[edit]

Donald Trump trade speech[edit]

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce took to Twitter to criticize Donald Trump's policy positions on international trade deals during his June, 28, 2016, speech in Pennsylvania. "Under Trump's trade plans, we would see higher prices, fewer jobs, and a weaker economy," the Chamber claimed among a series of tweets highlighting the positive aspects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the potential benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).^[12]

Trump responded to the Chamber's criticism by reasserting his opposition to NAFTA and the TPP while claiming that the Chamber is controlled by special interests. "They’re a special interest that wants to have the deals that they want to have,” said Trump at a rally in Maine the following day. "They want to have TPP, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, one of the worst deals, and it’ll be the worst deal since NAFTA.”^[13]

Save the Senate initiative[edit]

The Chamber introduced the Save the Senate initiative in May 2016 in order to boost fundraising for Republican candidates and maintain a Republican majority in the United States Senate. The initiative aimed to bring together Republican activists, regardless of their support for 2016 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, in an effort to bolster Republican candidates at the congressional level. The Wall Street Journal identified the following Republican leaders in the Save the Senate movement:^[14][15]

Candidate endorsements[edit]

The Chamber endorsed the following candidates during the 2016 election cycle:

• Senator Pat Toomey (R), United States Senate, Pennsylvania^[16]
• Senator Kelly Ayotte (R), United States Senate, New Hampshire^[17]
• Senator John McCain (R), United States Senate, Arizona^[18]
• Senator Chuck Grassley (R), United States Senate, Iowa^[19]
• Congressman Joe Heck (R), United States Senate, Nevada^[20]
• Congressman Brad Ashford (D), Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District^[21]

Amicus brief activity[edit]

The U.S. Chamber Litigation Center, a nonprofit affiliated entity of the United States Chamber of Commerce, files amicus curiae briefs in courts throughout the country. The group files amicus briefs "that present unique and compelling legal arguments, and that educate courts on the practical implications of legal decisions to the broader business community."^[22]

According to the organization's website, the Chamber filed amicus briefs in the following U.S. Supreme Court cases from 2013 to 2016:

Amicus briefs filed by the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center in the U.S. Supreme Court, 2013-2016
2013[23]
Air Wisconsin Airlines Corp. v. Hoeper Atlantic Marine Construction Co. v. U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas et al. (J-Crew Management Inc.) Carmax Auto Superstores California LLC et al. v. Fowler DaimlerChrysler AG v. Bauman et al. Environmental Protection Agency v. EME Homer City Generation; American Lung Association v. EME Homer City Generation Fifth Third Bancorp, et al. v. John Dudenhoeffer et al. Ford Motor Co. v. U.S. Halliburton Co. v. Erica P. John Fund Inc. (II) Heimeshoff v. Hartford Life & Accident Insurance Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Lawson v. FMR LLC Mount Holly v. Mt. Holly Gardens Citizens in Action Inc. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) v. Noel Canning Northwest Inc. v. Ginsberg Petrella v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. Pom Wonderful LLC v. Coca Cola Co. Sandifer v. United States Steel Corp. Sprint Communications Company v. Jacobs U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Farm Bureau Federation, and State of Alaska v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (consolidated with UARG v. EPA) Walden v. Fiore
2014[24]
Armstrong v. Exceptional Child Center Inc. City of Los Angeles v. Patel Comptroller v. Wynne Dart Cherokee Basin Operating Co. v. Owens Department of Transportation v. Association of American Railroads Direct Marketing Association v. Brohl Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores Inc. Gelboim et al. v. Bank of America Corporation et al. Horne v. Department of Agriculture (II) Integrity Staffing Solutions Inc. v. Busk et al. Kellogg Brown & Root Services v. United States ex rel. Carter M&G Polymers USA LLC v. Tackett Mach Mining v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Omnicare, Inc. v. Laborers District Council Construction Industry Pension Fund Perez v. Mortgage Bankers Association State of Michigan et al. v. EPA T-Mobile South LLC v. City of Roswell Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project Inc. Tibble v. Edison International et al. Yates v. United States Young v. United Parcel Service
2015[25]
Amgen Inc. v. Harris Campbell-Ewald v. Gomez CRST Van Expedited Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission DIRECTV Inc. v. Imburgia Encino Motorcars LLC v. Navarro Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. v. Manning MHN Government Services Inc. v. Zaborowski Montanile v. Board of Trustees of the National Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan Puerto Rico v. Franklin California Tax-Free Trust (II) Schumacher Homes of Circleville Inc. v. Spencer Self-Insurance Institute of America v. Snyder, Governor of Michigan et al. Spokeo Inc. v. Robins The Dow Chemical Company v. Cook The Ritz-Carlton Development Company Inc. v. Narayan Tyson Foods Inc. v. Bouaphakeo et al. United States Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co. Inc. Universal Health Services Inc. v. United States ex rel. Escobar
2016[26]
State Farm Fire and Casualty Company v. United States ex rel. Rigsby Microsoft Corporation v. Baker Murr v. Wisconsin Bank of America Corp. v. City of Miami; Wells Fargo & Co. v. City of Miami

Leadership[edit]

The following were listed as the Chamber of Commerce's board of directors, as of May 2020:^[27]

• Thomas Donohue, CEO
• Suzanne Clark, President
• Maura Donahue, Chairman
• Christopher B. Lofgren, Vice chairman
• Gerald L. Shaheen, Treasurer and regional vice chairman, West
• Mark Ordan, Regional vice chairman, East
• William G. Little, Regional vice chairman, Great Lakes
• John Ruan III, Regional vice chairman, Midwest
• Frank VanderSloot, Regional vice chairman, Northwest
• Ken W. Cole, Regional vice chairman, Southeast
• Paula Johnson, Regional vice chairman, Southwest

For a full list of members of the Board of Directors as of May 2020, click here.

Finances[edit]

As a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, the Chamber receives the majority of its funding through contributions and grants. The organization also generates revenue through program services and investment income.^[28]

Annual revenue and expenses for U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2011-2014[28]
Tax Year	Total Revenue	Total Expenses
2014	$206,005,860	$203,820,959
2013	$164,930,174	$161,972,221
2012	$188,374,764	$207,327,194
2011	$147,372,355	$145,695,316

Lobbying expenditures for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 1998-2014[29]
Year	Total Expenditures
2014	$124,080,000
2013	$74,470,000
2012	$136,300,000
2011	$66,370,000
2010	$132,067,500
2009	$144,606,000
2008	$91,955,000
2007	$53,082,500
2006	$72,995,000
2005	$39,805,000
2004	$53,380,000
2003	$34,602,640
2002	$41,560,000
2001	$20,662,880
2000	$18,689,160
1999	$18,760,000
1998	$17,000,000

Recent news[edit]

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See also[edit]

• Chamber of commerce
• 501(c)
• Nonprofit organization

External links[edit]

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce homepage
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Facebook
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Twitter
• FreeEnterprise.com homepage
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation homepage

Footnotes[edit]

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