Page 17 - THE SOUTH CHINA BUSINESS JOURNAL
P. 17
D .C. Today
New
Opportunities
for
Bipartisanship
Article by Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The results of the mid-term election are in – it. Republicans are going to have to accept that we need
Americans delivered a split decision on the makeup more revenue from dedicated user fees. Democrats are
of the next Congress. In the House, Democrats won going to have to accept that private investment must be a
control from the Republicans and now hold the majority. big part of the solution. Both sides should look at this as
In the Senate, Republicans maintained power and even an investment in our nation’s long-term competitiveness
added seats to their majority. This means that we’ll be and future prosperity.
operating under divided government for the next two
years. But it doesn’t mean that nothing will get done. Second, immigration, which can help address our
nation’s worker shortage. Employers must be able to hire
Throughout our history, the U.S. Chamber of the workers they need at every skill level—when and
Commerce has worked with all types of majorities to where they need them. So we must fix America’s broken
advance a pro-growth policy agenda. We’ve notched immigration system. If lawmakers find the middle ground,
wins with Congress under Republican control, under work through the tough issues, and finally address this
Democrat control, and everything in between. long-simmering challenge, they will help solve the people
gap in our country and reaffirm our legacy of welcoming
Even in today’s hyper-partisan environment, there are the world’s best talent and hardest workers.
still areas where consensus exists in the middle. And
we’re calling on our new and reelected leaders from We’ll also push our leaders to strengthen the U.S.
both parties to claim that middle ground and reject the workforce, adopt smart trade policies, advance energy,
extremes on both sides. We will work with Democrats and support other pro-growth priorities. We’ll fight
and Republicans to focus on the art of the possible – against efforts to roll back important policy gains
those issues that are most likely to attract bipartisan from the previous two years, including tax reform
support and the president’s signature. and regulatory relief. Unraveling those policies would
undermine our economy.
Here are two examples of priorities that are ripe for progress.
The bottom line is that while the composition of
First, infrastructure. Members on both sides of the Congress may change, our objectives never do. We’re
aisle have long agreed on the need to modernize the focused on working with both political parties to push
physical platform of our economy. They’ll have to make for policies that grow the American economy, create
some trade-offs, but there is a real chance to finally do good jobs, and advance free enterprise.■
South China Business Journal 13
New
Opportunities
for
Bipartisanship
Article by Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The results of the mid-term election are in – it. Republicans are going to have to accept that we need
Americans delivered a split decision on the makeup more revenue from dedicated user fees. Democrats are
of the next Congress. In the House, Democrats won going to have to accept that private investment must be a
control from the Republicans and now hold the majority. big part of the solution. Both sides should look at this as
In the Senate, Republicans maintained power and even an investment in our nation’s long-term competitiveness
added seats to their majority. This means that we’ll be and future prosperity.
operating under divided government for the next two
years. But it doesn’t mean that nothing will get done. Second, immigration, which can help address our
nation’s worker shortage. Employers must be able to hire
Throughout our history, the U.S. Chamber of the workers they need at every skill level—when and
Commerce has worked with all types of majorities to where they need them. So we must fix America’s broken
advance a pro-growth policy agenda. We’ve notched immigration system. If lawmakers find the middle ground,
wins with Congress under Republican control, under work through the tough issues, and finally address this
Democrat control, and everything in between. long-simmering challenge, they will help solve the people
gap in our country and reaffirm our legacy of welcoming
Even in today’s hyper-partisan environment, there are the world’s best talent and hardest workers.
still areas where consensus exists in the middle. And
we’re calling on our new and reelected leaders from We’ll also push our leaders to strengthen the U.S.
both parties to claim that middle ground and reject the workforce, adopt smart trade policies, advance energy,
extremes on both sides. We will work with Democrats and support other pro-growth priorities. We’ll fight
and Republicans to focus on the art of the possible – against efforts to roll back important policy gains
those issues that are most likely to attract bipartisan from the previous two years, including tax reform
support and the president’s signature. and regulatory relief. Unraveling those policies would
undermine our economy.
Here are two examples of priorities that are ripe for progress.
The bottom line is that while the composition of
First, infrastructure. Members on both sides of the Congress may change, our objectives never do. We’re
aisle have long agreed on the need to modernize the focused on working with both political parties to push
physical platform of our economy. They’ll have to make for policies that grow the American economy, create
some trade-offs, but there is a real chance to finally do good jobs, and advance free enterprise.■
South China Business Journal 13
