U.S. Chamber Web Effort to Set the Record Straight Amid Orchestrated Smear Campaign

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's continued effort to fight back against a targeted, orchestrated smear campaign—featuring everything from a fraudulent press conference to erroneous accusations about the Chamber's policy positions and membership numbers—the Chamber today launched www.uschamber.com/facts, a Web page to set the record straight.

"It is clear that some would rather distort the facts than engage in real debate on how to solve our nation's toughest challenges," said Tom Collamore, the U.S. Chamber's senior vice president of communications. "It's time to put these petty, personal attacks aside and get back to the greatest challenge facing our country right now: creating jobs in America. The Chamber plans to continue leading the business community in the quest to put Americans back to work."

The Facts sets the record straight on myths being perpetuated by anti-growth, anti-business activists, such as:

• Myth: The U.S. Chamber was recently forced to lower their membership number by 90%.
  Fact: This claim is the result of a — perhaps willful — misunderstanding of the U.S. Chamber's structure. The Chamber has direct members but also sits at the top of a federation that includes state and local chambers, as well as associations. Our direct membership comprises 300,000 businesses. Our federation contains over three million businesses and organizations.
  
• Myth: The U.S. Chamber opposed health care reform and wants to maintain the status quo.
  Fact: Supporters of the current legislation in Congress want you to believe that any group which opposes any aspect of reform opposes all reform. This is not true; as Bruce Josten said, "American employers and employees want an improvement in the nation's health care system, not an unsustainable, unaffordable overhaul."
  
• Myth: The U.S. Chamber is trying to "buy an economist" to provide a skewed analysis of health care costs.
  Fact: It is common practice to have independent experts lined up to examine an expected piece of legislation, especially when the process is expected to move swiftly once legislation is introduced. A study of job impacts resulting from mandates is not a new idea. Now that final bills are emerging from both chambers an updated review is warranted.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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