General Jim Jones to Add Role as Special Envoy to Secretary of State

Chamber's Energy Institute to Expand Leadership

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today praised plans by General Jim Jones USMC (Ret.), who is President of the Chamber's Institute for 21st Century Energy, to accept the request of Secretary of State Rice to serve as Special Envoy for Middle East Security.

As Special Envoy, General Jones will be asked to make recommendations on ways to strengthen Palestinian security institutions and capabilities; engage immediate neighbors and other key countries on enhancing Israeli-Palestinian and regional security; and shape U.S. ideas and approaches on a security concept for peace negotiations.

"Jim Jones has lived his life in service to his country and, as Americans and business leaders, we should all be deeply honored by his willingness to support this important effort for peace," said Thomas Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

While undertaking this new role, General Jones will continue leading the Chamber's Energy Institute which is engaged in the development of a comprehensive national energy strategy designed to maintain access to affordable energy while also protecting the environment and bolstering our nation's energy security.

The Institute has an aggressive program of work for the coming year, including the delivery of an energy action plan to Presidential and Congressional candidates in June of 2008. To meet these commitments, the Chamber intends to accelerate existing plans to add additional energy experts to the Institute's staff, including a senior energy executive who can provide leadership on the Institute's broad energy and environmental agenda.

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

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