Chamber Targets Daschle in Statewide Voter Education Campaign

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today launched a South Dakota statewide education campaign designed to inform voters about Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle's national political agenda in Washington – an agenda that is vastly different from the needs of the state.

"It is important that South Dakota voters know that Senator Daschle has pursued an agenda that is seriously out of step with the needs of his constituents," said Chamber Political Director, Bill Miller. "At every opportunity, Tom Daschle has chosen to stand in the way of legislative reforms that would spur business investment, grow the economy, create jobs and improve access to health care."

As Senate Minority Leader, Senator Daschle has consistently opposed reforms to federal energy and tax policy that would stimulate economic growth. Most importantly he continues to stand with trial lawyers in opposing common-sense legal reforms, including medical malpractice and class action lawsuit reform, modest but important actions that would help put an end to lawsuit abuse.

Lawsuits costs the average South Dakota family $3,200 a year in the form of higher prices for goods and services, and lawsuit abuse is driving up the cost of insurance coverage for health care providers, threatening to force some doctors, especially those in rural areas – out of business.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

View a copy of the television ad (Realplayer required)

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