The Facts
A Primer on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Tools of the Chamber
Lobbying
The U.S. Chamber spearheaded the effort against three major attempts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in the 2000s. Since then, the Chamber’s allies in Congress have refused to hold hearings, mark ups, debates, or votes on any legislation proposing a policy framework for economy-wide reductions in carbon pollution.
Lack Of Transparency
The U.S. Chamber claims to have over 300,000 members, but refuses to disclose who they are. A Public Citizen report found that only a handful of Chamber members provide the vast majority of their funding, but their identity remains unknown. When it comes to funding and decision making, the U.S. Chamber is opaque.
Litigation
In the courts, the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center regularly champions the fossil fuel industry. They provide legal support for oil pipelines such as the Dakota Access Pipeline, they fought to allow drilling in the Arctic and the Gulf of Mexico, and they regularly undermine local and state government attempts to regulate polluters.
Greenwashing
Despite their record of disregard for climate change and the environment, the U.S. Chamber now claims to “strongly support continued environmental improvements.” The Chamber says it is proactive on climate solutions. They even admit: “Inaction is not an option: We call on policymakers to seize on an approach that rises to the challenge of climate change.” Unfortunately, this is just greenwashing.
Misinformation
The U.S. Chamber has a history of attempting to cast doubt around climate change. In 2009, the U.S. Chamber even told the EPA that a 3°C degree rise would be good for humans. In 2010, they funded educational materials designed to teach children the benefits of fossil fuels while ignoring climate change. Now their approach is more subtle, calling for an “all of the above” energy policy, which would also lead to catastrophic climate change.
Control Of Politicians
The U.S. Chamber supports politicians that do not protect our planet. Since the Citizens United decision, the Chamber has spent $150 million on Congressional races: more than any other trade association on Congressional races. They spend tactically on Senate races and key swing seats in the House. Through voter scorecards and lobbying, the Chamber has repeatedly stopped climate legislation dead in its tracks.
Further Reading
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2023 Report
Our latest report, spanning from September 1998 to March 2023, exposes how the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has consistently prioritized its own gains at the expense of fair treatment for minority populations, the preservation of our environment, and timely climate change mitigation.
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2021 Report
Our report lays out a timeline of actions executed by the U.S. Chamber and its subsidiaries to oppose policy measures that would help mitigate the rapidly escalating crises of climate change and biodiversity collapse.
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2020 Report
We analyzed the Chamber’s activity from 2019 to 2020 and found that the U.S. Chamber has been a relentless and effective advocate for the interests of the fossil fuel industry.