Surprised that the Chamber Opposed Anti-Outsourcing Bill? Don't Be...

Posted by Christy Setzer on September 28, 2010

If you were surprised that the US Chamber-- an organization that announced, with much fanfare last year, a campaign to create 20 million new jobs-- OPPOSED the Senate bill to crack down on outsourcing, well, don't be. The giant lobbying organization's been pretty keen on outsourcing for some time now. Here are some of our favorite quotes from the Chamber on taking American jobs and putting them overseas: 

  • U.S. Chamber President Defends Outsourcing of U.S. Jobs, Arguing That Americans Are "Short of Skills." Defending outsourcing in 2004, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue said, "The big fundamental issue that we need to understand is we are short of skills in this country." [CNNFN, 5/3/2004].
  • Donohue Vows to Fight Any Attempts to Reduce Outsourcing.  "The Chamber's message is clear: The US must be able to source around the world to stay competitive in the global economy and the business community will fight any attempts by our government to restrict outsourcing," Thomas Donohue, the chamber's president, told a news conference.”  [Agence France Presse, 4/14/2004]
  • Donohue Says Outsourcing Will Cost Only Two, Three, Maybe Four Million Jobs.  “We employ -- American companies employ 140 million Americans. They provide health care for 160 million Americans. They provide training in terms of 40 billion a year. The outsourcing deal over three or four or five years and the two or three sets of numbers are only going to be, you know, maybe two, maybe three million jobs, maybe four.” [CNNFN, 2/10/2004]
  • Donohue: “Outsourcing is Here to Stay” Because “It Benefits Everybody.” Donohue again discounted American lives impacted by a globalizing economy in an interview with The Straits Times of Singapore. He said, “we are very confident that outsourcing is here to stay. And why not? It benefits everybody.” [4/23/2004] But Donohue still looks out for number one. He has also said, “One job sent overseas, if it happens to be my job, is one too many.” [Associated Press, 7/1/2004]

And in case you thought that maybe the Chamber would change its tune in the wake of the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression, well, don't be silly.

  • US Chamber Opposed “Buy American” Provisions Of the 2010 Jobs Bill. In January 2010, the Chamber unabashedly opposed “Buy American” provisions in stimulus funds. “We must limit the negative consequences of the Buy American requirements in the Recovery Act, and we must ensure that additional Buy American requirements are not included in future legislation.”  [US Chamber of Commerce Release, 2/17/2010, Report & Joint Business Letter Opposing Buy American Provisions in Jobs Bill, 1/24/10]
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