Donohue: US Chamber wants to revive nation’s political center in 2019

Jan. 10, 2019
The US Chamber of Commerce is changing how it rates members of Congress for the first time in 40 years to encourage bipartisanship, begin restoring the nation’s political center, and end federal legislative gridlock, US Chamber Pres. Thomas J. Donahue said on Jan. 10 in his 2019 State of American Business address.

The US Chamber of Commerce is changing how it rates members of Congress for the first time in 40 years to encourage bipartisanship, begin restoring the nation’s political center, and end federal legislative gridlock, US Chamber Pres. Thomas J. Donahue said on Jan. 10 in his 2019 State of American Business address.

“Given the rocky start to the year, it’s understandable there are questions about what can be accomplished under a sharply divided government. The divisions aren’t just between the parties—they’re within the parties,” Donahue said.

Governing by crisis is no way to do the nation’s business, Donohue said. “Our leaders must responsibly fulfill their duties—not just because it’s their job, but because dysfunction saps confidence, threatens growth, and consequently poses a threat to opportunity in this country,” he said.

The nation’s largest business organization previously prepared a scorecard for each US Senate and House member solely based on how he or she voted on legislation considered important to the business community. Its new scorecard will be based 80% on votes, 10% on legislative leadership, and 10% on bipartisan engagement.

“Starting with this Congress, we will not be based our support solely on casting the right votes, though that remains essential,” said Donohue. “We will give lawmakers credit for showing leadership on good legislation, even if it doesn’t pass or even come up for a vote. And we’re going to take bipartisanship into account. Lawmakers should be rewarded for reaching across the aisle, not punished.”

Mixed grades for administration

Donohue applauded the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce burdensome regulations but criticized its mounting imposition of tariffs that he said are taxes paid by American, not foreign, businesses and consumers.

“Instead of undermining our own economy, let’s work with our allies to apply pressure on China and use the tools provided by US trade and international laws that we helped create,” Donohue said. “Limiting trade is self-defeating. Leveraging trade is essential to success in a global economy and creating jobs.”

He urged the 116th Congress to ratify the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. “This is one of the best geopolitical agreements this country has put together—and remember, it’s with our two biggest trading partners,” he told reporters after his address.

When it came to energy, he said in his speech that new and innovative ways to increase US oil and gas production have reduced costs and improved efficiency. “But powerful forces want to reverse this progress,” Donohue said. “The Chamber is intensifying its efforts to combat the ‘keep-it-in-the-ground’ movement, eliminate bureaucratic delays to permitting, and promote new energy infrastructure to keep our resources—and our economy—moving.”

Maintaining a dynamic and growing US economy also will require prudent regulation and legal reforms, he said. “We will continue to seize opportunities in the agencies and in the courts to restore common sense rule-making, building on the progress of the last 2 years,” Donohue said.

Favors higher gasoline tax

Improving US transportation systems also will be essential, Donohue said. “We haven’t increased the federal gasoline tax in 25-26 years,” he said in his press conference. “This would be a sensible way to start paying for infrastructure improvements. We need to get moving on this. We’re so far behind on infrastructure that it will take several administrations to get the job done.”

When it comes to possibly raising the federal minimum wage, Donohue recommended caution. “One thing that’s clear is that states’ economies are different. A $15 hourly minimum would not have that big an impact in California, but it could harm businesses in other states,” he noted.

The minimum wage question traditionally has been linked with benefits, added Neil Bradley, the US Chamber’s Chief Policy Officer who also participated in the press conference. “It’s important that the debate doesn’t become political. Fifteen dollars per hour is a political number.”

Donohue said that it also will be essential to address workforce challenges. “We must have a steady supply of talented and hard-working people to do the work of a modern economy so our nation can compete and lead. We also need to the right policies, systems, and opportunities in place to prepare these people so they can compete and succeed,” he said.

“It’s no secret that our nation is currently falling short on both of those imperatives,” Donohue said. “We have people without jobs—who lack the skills or education to fill open positions. And we have jobs without people: Employers tell us positions are sitting vacant because they can’t find the workers they need, when and where they need them.”

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].