United States Chamber Of Commerce

Amid cries of "fascism" and "McCarthyism," a bitter fight has erupted between conservative Republican leaders in Congress and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that reflects the deepening split within the GOP and the shadow it casts over the party's future. U.S. business, represented in Washington by the Chamber and similar organizations, has long been a mainstay of the Republican Party.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced late Friday that it would challenge the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, setting the stage for a protracted legal battle with the Obama administration over global warming. The chamber said it was filing a petition with the agency challenging the EPA's process in determining that greenhouse gases endanger human health and are thus subject to Clean Air Act regulation. The challenge is likely to lead to a court battle.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Monday sued the Labor Department, seeking the repeal of new regulations allowing states to offer paid leave to new parents using unemployment benefit dollars. "They're putting a fund at risk that was set up for unemployed workers," chamber Vice President Randy Johnson said. "At some point, a recession is going to hit, and there's not going to be enough money to provide benefits for unemployed workers and people taking family leave."

The Obama White House, stepping in where other Democrats feared to tread, has launched a potentially risky fight with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce -- attempting to bypass the nation's most powerful business organization and develop independent ties to corporate America. In recent weeks, President Obama, his Energy secretary and one of his other most senior advisors have begun criticizing the chamber publicly, casting it as a profligate lobbying organization at odds with its members in opposing the administration on such issues as consumer protection and climate change.

The nation's largest business lobby wants to put the science of global warming on trial. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, trying to ward off potentially sweeping federal emissions regulations, is pushing the Environmental Protection Agency to hold a rare public hearing on the scientific evidence for man-made climate change. Chamber officials say it would be "the Scopes monkey trial of the 21st century" -- complete with witnesses, cross-examinations and a judge who would rule, essentially, on whether humans are warming the planet to dangerous effect.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce attacked a major part of President Clinton's economic program Monday, coming out against $104 billion of his proposed tax increases. In a letter to every member of Congress, the chamber said it opposed Clinton's broad-based energy tax, his proposal to boost the corporate tax rate from 34% to 36% and a Clinton proposal to boost taxes on foreign royalty income earned by U.S. companies.

An appeals court panel Tuesday denied the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's request for a rehearing on whether the Securities and Exchange Commission was justified in amending its rules to impose the independent chair provision. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled against the chamber on the justification issue in its lawsuit opposing the provision requiring that the chairman of a mutual fund board and 75% of its directors must be independent.

The Securities and Exchange Commission, which gained more authority to punish corporate wrongdoing in a government crackdown on fraud four years ago, is going too far, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce report said Thursday. The chamber, which lobbies for 3 million U.S.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington wants to spend at least $5 million to help keep Republicans in control of Congress by aiding pro-business candidates next year. The chamber announced it will target 35 to 40 House races and 10 to 12 Senate races. The chamber plans to spend $100,000 for each House race and possibly more for Senate contests.

Congress should revamp securities regulation, shield accounting firms from litigation and take other steps to bolster American financial competitiveness, according to a new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Echoing other recent studies by business and political groups, the report to be released today by a chamber-appointed commission says that U.S.

A federal lawsuit by two industry groups aims to halt the U.S. government and the state of California from moving ahead with new greenhouse gas emissions rules for cars and trucks -- an action that, if successful, could scuttle a key piece of the Obama administration's plans to set stricter nationwide standards for vehicles. The lawsuit may be the first of many legal challenges targeting President Obama's efforts to limit the heat-trapping emissions that scientists blame for global warming.

The nation's largest business lobby wants to put the science of global warming on trial. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, trying to ward off potentially sweeping federal emissions regulations, is pushing the Environmental Protection Agency to hold a rare public hearing on the scientific evidence for man-made climate change. Chamber officials say it would be "the Scopes monkey trial of the 21st century" -- complete with witnesses, cross-examinations and a judge who would rule, essentially, on whether humans are warming the planet to dangerous effect.

A wintry edge was in the air as five teams of unlikely looking political organizers, many of them from out of town, left the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce office on a wind-swept downtown street last week and fanned out to visit more than 200 businesses, proselytizing bank tellers, restaurant managers and factory owners alike.

Alarmed at the increasingly populist tone of the 2008 political campaign, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is set to issue a fiery promise to spend millions of dollars to defeat candidates deemed to be anti-business. "We plan to build a grass-roots business organization so strong that when it bites you in the butt, you bleed," chamber President Tom Donohue said.

Congress should revamp securities regulation, shield accounting firms from litigation and take other steps to bolster American financial competitiveness, according to a new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Echoing other recent studies by business and political groups, the report to be released today by a chamber-appointed commission says that U.S.

The Securities and Exchange Commission, which gained more authority to punish corporate wrongdoing in a government crackdown on fraud four years ago, is going too far, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce report said Thursday. The chamber, which lobbies for 3 million U.S.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation's largest business lobbying organization, plans to help pay for advertisements that attack Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. John Edwards and trial lawyers for supposedly raising the cost of doing business.

Thomas J. Donohue, president of the American Trucking Assn., was named president of the nation's biggest business organization and said he hoped to meet soon with his counterpart in labor. Donohue, 58, will assume the top operating post at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 1, succeeding Richard L. Lesher, president since 1975. Lesher announced in February that he would leave to pursue other activities.

A national business group is opening a statewide ad campaign lauding Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his agenda, without disclosing how much it is spending on the commercials or where the money is coming from. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, whose governing board includes major donors to Schwarzenegger's political campaigns, this week launched a 30-second television spot that coincides with Schwarzenegger's efforts to pass an ambitious public works plan and win a second term.

An appeals court panel Tuesday denied the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's request for a rehearing on whether the Securities and Exchange Commission was justified in amending its rules to impose the independent chair provision. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled against the chamber on the justification issue in its lawsuit opposing the provision requiring that the chairman of a mutual fund board and 75% of its directors must be independent.