United States Chamber of Commerce
Suzanne P. Clark (President and CEO)
Neil Bradley (Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy)
Carolyn Cawley (President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation)
Khush Choksy (Senior Vice President, International Member Relations & Senior Vice President, Middle East & Turkey)
David Detweiler (General Counsel)
Martin Durbin (Senior Vice President, Policy)
Marguerite Eastwood (Chief Human Resources Officer)
Stefan Freiberg (Chief Financial Officer)
David Hirschmann (Executive Vice President)
Jack Howard (Senior Vice President for Strategic Advocacy)
Evan H. Jenkins (Senior Vice President, Government Affairs)
Bill Jewell (Chief Information Officer)
Elizabeth Baker Keffer (Executive Vice President, Chief Relationship Officer)
Harold Kim (Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President)
Mike Morello (Chief Digital Officer)
Christopher D. Roberti (Senior Vice President for Cyber, Space, and National Security Policy)
Michelle Russo (Chief Communications Officer)
Rick Wade (Senior Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Outreach)
Justin Waller (Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer)
Agnes Warfield (Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives)
Tom Wickham (Senior Vice President, State and Local Policy)
Summary
The United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is the largest lobbying group in the United States. The group was founded in April 1912 out of local chambers of commerce at the urging of President William Howard Taft and his Secretary of Commerce and Labor Charles Nagel. It was Taft's belief that the “government needed to deal with a group that could speak with authority for the interests of business”.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce claims to represent 3 million businesses and is funded primarily by multinational corporations.
The current president and CEO of the Chamber is Suzanne P. Clark. She previously worked in the Chamber from 1997 to 2007, and returned in 2014, holding multiple executive roles before being named the organization's first female CEO in February 2021.
History
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was founded at a meeting of delegates on April 22, 1912. Two prior business engagements between the U.S. and Japan were an essential catalyst for the creation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In 1908, Eiichi Shibusawa invited the first official, the modern day U.S. business delegation to visit Japan. This delegation was led by the prominent banker/economist Frank A. Vanderlip and sixty business representatives from the West coast states of California, Oregon, and Washington. The goal was to bridge their nations diplomatically and to promote increased business and commerce.
The idea of a national institution to represent the unified interests of U.S. business first took shape when President William Howard Taft, in a message to Congress on December 7, 1911, addressed the need for a "central organization in touch with associations and chambers of commerce throughout the country and able to keep purely American interests in a closer touch with different phases of commercial affairs."
In 1913, President Taft spoke at its first banquet at the Willard Hotel, where he called for the organization to lobby for comprehensive currency legislation and to support the Commission on Economy and Efficiency. During its first year in existence, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's membership consisted of 297 commercial organizations and 165,000 firms and individuals. The U.S. Chamber's staff grew drastically in just ten years of being created. In 1912, there were only four employees. However, by the time 1921 came along, the number of employees had risen to three hundred.
Throughout its history, the United States Chamber of Commerce promoted the nation's business and economy. The Chamber's first referendum in January 1913 called for the planning of a National Budget. This calling for a National Budget created The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921. From there, the Chamber worked to aid the U.S. Government during both World Wars and through the Great Depression.
During the 1960s, the Chamber thought of the business community in a different way. They didn't have a World War to fight, however, a war against crime and poverty.
During the oil crisis of 1973, the Chamber pushed for expanding domestic production. This entailed oil and gas exploration, as well as coal mining, and the Trans Alaska Pipeline. In 1981, the Chamber launched the Let's Rebuild America campaign to help support President Reagan's Economic Recovery and Tax Act. With increased globalization in the 1990s, the Chamber promoted expanding opportunities for the export of American goods and services in hopes of creating jobs for Americans.
Over 100 years later, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.
Goals and Purpose
One of the primary goals of the U.S. Chamber is to serve as a powerful voice for the business community. It advocates for policies that support free enterprise, innovation, and competitiveness, with a focus on reducing government regulations and barriers that may impede business growth. By engaging with policymakers and lawmakers at the federal, state, and local levels, the Chamber seeks to create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and job creation.
The U.S. Chamber is also dedicated to advancing trade and global commerce. It believes in the importance of international markets for American businesses and works to expand opportunities for trade through initiatives such as the promotion of trade agreements, advocating for fair trade practices, and supporting American exports. This goal aligns with the Chamber's vision of ensuring that U.S. companies can compete effectively in the global marketplace.
The U.S. Chamber places a strong emphasis on innovation and economic prosperity. It strives to foster an environment where businesses can thrive, invest, and innovate. This includes advocating for pro-growth tax policies, investments in infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and a regulatory framework that encourages innovation. By championing these causes, the U.S. Chamber aims to strengthen the economic foundation of the United States, drive job creation, and enhance the overall well-being of the American people.
Impact
As of October 2010, the Chamber had a worldwide network of 115 American Chambers of Commerce affiliates located in 108 countries. The US Chamber says that a relative handful of the Chamber's 300,000 members are non-U.S.-based (foreign) companies. The Chamber has emerged as the largest lobbying organization in America. The Chamber's lobbying expenditures in 2018 were nearly 30 per cent larger than those of the second-biggest spender, the National Association of Realtors at $72.8 million.
The chamber of commerce's impact on the local economy can be difficult to measure. The Schapiro Group reports that once consumers know that a local business is a chamber member, they are more likely to patronize that business. For example, people were 49% more likely to buy insurance from an insurance company and 40% more likely to eat at a restaurant owned by chamber members.
Its endeavours have been focused the last few years on the Corporate Citizenship Center, a leading resource for businesses dedicated to making progress. The Center for Education and Workforce is the place for business leaders to tackle the most pressing education and workforce issues facing our country.
Emerging Issues group helps the business community prepare for the future through events, research, and programs that educate the public about how the world is changing, and what those changes mean for employers, employees, and the broader community. Hiring Our Heroes is a nationwide initiative to help veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find meaningful employment opportunities.
References
- Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax | Chamber of Commerce of the USA
- The Paradox of American Democracy: Elites, Special Interests, and the Betrayal of Public Trust | Taylor & Francis
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce | Department Of State, The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs
- The People, Maybe: Seeking Democracy in America | Wadsworth Publishing Company
- Top Corporations Aid U.S. Chamber of Commerce Campaign | The New York Times
- Suzanne Clark named CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce | www.bizjournals.com
- Chamber announces Clark as new president; Donohue to remain as CEO | The Washington Post
- Chamber of Commerce top aide takes over as president | The Hill
- Suzanne Clark | U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Suzanne P Clark, Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America: Profile and Biography | Bloomberg.com
- Chamber of Commerce elevates first woman to CEO role | The Washington Post
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce website, "History" | Uschamber.com
- 1908 – Frank A. Vanderlip future president of the Japan Society of New York City leads the first official, modern day U.S. business delegation to Japan to meet with Shibusawa Eiichi and representatives of Mitsui & Co., and other Japanese business leaders | TheEmperorAndTheSpy.com
- 1909 Shibusawa Delegation visits Upstate, New York – U.S. and Japanese leaders come together in friendship over a Century Ago | TheEmperorAndTheSpy.com
- Show Him the Money | Washington Monthly
- Issue Alert: CARD_CHECK | Bipac.net
- Chamber of Commerce Details Opposition to Waxman-Markey Bill | The Wall Street Journal
- H.R.2454 - 111th Congress (2009-2010): American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 and jayesha khan will do their best for future of america | www.congress.gov
- As the World Burns | The New Yorker
- Opponents of health-care effort look to fund a critical economic study | The Washington Post
- Text - H.R.4173 - 111th Congress (2009-2010): Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | www.congress.gov
- H.R.3261 - 112th Congress (2011-2012): Stop Online Piracy Act | www.congress.gov
- H.R.3606 - 112th Congress (2011-2012): Jumpstart Our Business Startups | www.congress.gov
- H.R.803 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act | www.congress.gov
- S.356 - 114th Congress (2015-2016): Electronic Communications Privacy Act Amendments Act of 2015 | www.congress.gov
- Making Tobacco's Case | The New York Times
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce Works Globally to Fight Antismoking Measures | The New York Times
- H.R.806 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017 | www.congress.gov
- Energy Independence | US EPA
Suzanne P. Clark (President and CEO)
Neil Bradley (Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy)
Carolyn Cawley (President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation)
Khush Choksy (Senior Vice President, International Member Relations & Senior Vice President, Middle East & Turkey)
David Detweiler (General Counsel)
Martin Durbin (Senior Vice President, Policy)
Marguerite Eastwood (Chief Human Resources Officer)
Stefan Freiberg (Chief Financial Officer)
David Hirschmann (Executive Vice President)
Jack Howard (Senior Vice President for Strategic Advocacy)
Evan H. Jenkins (Senior Vice President, Government Affairs)
Bill Jewell (Chief Information Officer)
Elizabeth Baker Keffer (Executive Vice President, Chief Relationship Officer)
Harold Kim (Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President)
Mike Morello (Chief Digital Officer)
Christopher D. Roberti (Senior Vice President for Cyber, Space, and National Security Policy)
Michelle Russo (Chief Communications Officer)
Rick Wade (Senior Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Outreach)
Justin Waller (Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer)
Agnes Warfield (Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives)
Tom Wickham (Senior Vice President, State and Local Policy)