PULLING OUTALL THE STOPSTHE U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE LONG ROAD

TO COMPREHENSIVE TAX REFORM

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A DIFFICULT ROAD “DOOMED TO FAIL”

Prior to 2017, the last major overhaul of the U.S. tax code was in 1986. Over the next three decades, technological and economic advancements made much of the tax code obsolete.

Eventually, the U.S. tax system became defined by the unsustainable burdens it imposed on American businesses, families, and individuals.

For years, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce led an e�ort among stakeholders to convince policymakers that tax reform was an absolute necessity if the United States was going to continue to compete in the 21st century global economy.

Despite those e�orts, in early 2017, nearly every major media outlet—at one time or another—pronounced that comprehensive tax reform was doomed to fail. A bitter political environment coupled with increased party polarization were not the ideal conditions for overhauling one of the most complicated tax systems in the world.

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OVERCOMING THE ODDS THE TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT

On December 22, 2017, the signing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act proved all the naysayers wrong, cutting taxes across the board and changing the way our economy operates.

To help make this happen, the U.S. Chamber pulled out all the stops and made every possible e�ort.

This work included:

• An unprecedented lobbying e�ort

• A seven-figure paid media campaign

• The largest grassroots and federation mobilization in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s history

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MAKING THE CASE WORKING WITH CONGRESS

Throughout 2017, the Congressional A�airs Team actively engaged members of the Senate and House of Representatives like never before, taking the case to members’ D.C. o�ces and home to their states and districts.

• More than 500 meetings with members of Congress and sta�

• More than 300 in-district events and roundtables with members of Congress, local Chambers, and business leaders

• 5 Key Vote Alerts, one for every relevant vote in both the House and Senate

• More than 400 business leaders’ signatures on the letter of support for final passage

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OVER THE AIRWAVES PAID MEDIA CAMPAIGN

Beginning in September 2017, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce orchestrated one of the largest paid media campaigns in its history; a seven-figure paid media campaign, including TV, radio, and Internet ads, to educate voters in key states and districts on the importance of tax reform.

Each ad encouraged voters to contact their representatives in support of tax reform. The Chamber strategically targeted ads at all stages of the legislative process, from committee votes through final passage.

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The U.S. Chamber remained a recognized and trusted voice of the business community throughout the tax reform debate.

• The Chamber’s spokespeople were featured prominently in dozens of interviews and panels on both national and local media outlets throughout the country, including Bloomberg TV, CNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, and Marketplace.

• Statements, letters, op-eds, and blog posts penned by the Chamber’s leadership and sta� drove much of the tax reform debate and earned broad media coverage in news outlets all over the United States.

FRONT AND CENTER EARNED MEDIA & PRESS STRATEGY

U.S. Chamber EVP & Chief Policy Ocer, Neil Bradley, discussing tax reform in an interview on Bloomberg News.

U.S. Chamber VP & Chief Tax Counsel, Caroline Harris, during an interview on CNBC’s Closing Bell.

Blog posts on issues like the worldwide interest limitation helped steer the tax reform debate in the right direction.

Opinion pieces from leaders at the Chamber kept the interests of the business community center stage.

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SPREADING THE WORD GRASSROOTS & FEDERATION WORK

Tax Reform: A 50-State Effort

Throughout every stage of the legislative process, the Chamber drove a massive grassroots operation to get hundreds of thousands of voters across the country to call or write members of Congress in support of tax reform.

As always, the U.S. Chamber’s message was strengthened and echoed by its federation partners in state and local chambers who hosted countless events across the country, raised awareness, and ultimately drove the message home.

U.S. Chamber Senior Manager for the Great Lakes Region, Maggie Sheely, meeting with leaders from the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN-02) at a tax reform event.

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YOUR VOICES WERE HEARD TAX REFORM SUCCESSES

In March 2017, the U.S. Chamber released a “Principles for Tax Reform” document, which included the following:

• Lower tax rates for all businesses

• An internationally competitive territorial system

• More permanency, simplicity and clarity in the tax code

• A neutral depreciation system for business investments

Thanks to the e�orts of the U.S. Chamber and the business community in general, all of these priorities were included in the final version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

THOMAS J. DONOHUE U.S. CHAMBER PRESIDENT & CEO AUGUST 14, 2017

“Pro-growth tax reform is the most important piece of the puzzle when it comes to sparking a new wave of wage growth and job creation. Its significance cannot be overstated. To get tax reform over the finish line, all Americans must get involved—businesses, government leaders, voters, and grassroots organizations. Let’s roll up our sleeves and commit to finish the job by the end of 2017. The economy will thank us for many years to come.”

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ORRIN HATCH (R-UT) SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

KEVIN BRADY (R-TX-08) HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

“The largest tax overhaul in decades certainly didn’t come together overnight. It was years in the making, and we couldn’t have crossed the finish line without the input and e�orts of organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber’s ability to mobilize its members and conduct grassroots outreach was a critical component of our success. We are already seeing the positive impact of the new, modernized tax code, which has resulted in higher wages, more jobs and more companies investing in their businesses.”

“The U.S. Chamber did great work in helping us get tax reform over the finish line. We needed the support of American businesses, and the Chamber always made the positions of the business community known, and did a massive amount of work behind the scenes to build up and maintain support for the bill.”

RECOGNITION PRAISE FROM CONGRESS

For more information on how tax reform will impact you, visit uschamber.com/TaxReform