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PA Chamber steps up call to protect biz participation in political process
Obama administration executive order targets government contractors The PA Chamber and more than 150 national business and industry organizations and state chambers of commerce are reinforcing their opposition to the Obama administration’s attempt to limit business participation in the political process. In a multi-industry letter sent June 6 to members of Congress, the groups are urging cosponsorship support of the proposed “Keeping Politics Out of Federal Contracting Act of 2011,” which would preclude the White House from forcing federal agencies to require information on political contributions as part of the federal procurement process. The letter, the second one sent to Congress in recent weeks on this issue, is in direct response to a draft executive order issued by the president in April that would prohibit government contractors from contributing to federal political candidates unless they fully disclose the amount of funding they provide. Meanwhile, the EO would have no impact on the political activities of organized labor. In a letter sent May 25, the PA Chamber and the multi-industry coalition asked Congress to support an amendment to the National Defense Reauthorization Act of 2012 that contained the same language as the proposed “Keeping Politics Out of Federal Contracting Act of 2011.” Both the stand-alone bill and amendment are intended to stop a backdoor attempt to revive portions of the failed DISCLOSE Act, previously rejected by Congress as bad public policy because it would have stifled corporate participation in the political process. The Supreme Court has also shunned the move, having publicly recognized that business is a vital participant in civil discourse and should be allowed the same political freedoms as organized labor. The federal government is required to operate under the principle that goods and services should be procured in the best interest of the taxpayers, without regard to political considerations. The EO raises legitimate concerns that prospective contractors that donate to a campaign unpopular with an administration would be denied business opportunities with the federal government. The PA Chamber stands resolute in ensuring that political spending – or lack thereof – has no role in federal contracting decisions, and that business participation in the political process is protected.
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