SALT LAKE CITY- (September 15, 2009) A group of 13 Utah business leaders is in the nation’s capital today to make certain lawmakers understand where they stand on federal health reform efforts and cap and trade legislation. “It is essential that business leaders have a voice with our elected officials,” said Jake Boyer, chair of the Salt Lake Chamber Board of Governors and president of The Boyer Company. “Some of the proposed legislation could be harmful to Utah and we want to be very clear where we stand on these important issues.” The group represents a broad mix of industries and met face-to-face with each member of Utah’s congressional delegation. During a meeting with Sen. Bennett and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), the group re-emphasized the importance of cost controls in federal health reform efforts. “The cost of providing health coverage has become a major concern for businesses in our state,” said Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “We’re pleased that our nation’s leaders are serious about solving the problem. We want to make sure reform addresses the real issues.” Health reform has grabbed national and local headlines of late but business leaders are also concerned about cap-and-trade legislation that could negatively impact industries key to Utah’s economy. “The Chamber will not support legislation that will cost Utah jobs,” said Beattie. “We have concerns about how the proposals could affect businesses and the people and families they employ.” In addition to these pressing economic issues, the Chamber hand delivered the letters to members of Utah’s delegation on specific pieces of legislation including: • SB 823: Net Operating Loss Carry Back Act and its companion bill, H.R. 2452. The Chamber has asked for support for these bills that would apply the five-year carry back provision to businesses of all sizes and allow taxpayers to recover current losses now versus in the future. • Section 806 of the 2009 FAA Reauthorization Act (H.R. 915). The Chamber has asked for support of this section which would help Congress address a discrepancy in labor laws among workers in the express delivery industry. • H.R. 3162. The Chamber opposes creating the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) and granting to it unnecessarily broad amounts of oversight and authority. The group includes executives from local businesses including CB Richard Ellis, The Boyer Company, Bonneville Radio Group, the Buckner Group, Grant Thornton, Zions Bank, Questar, Clyde Companies and Wells Fargo. The business leaders will also receive an economic briefing from the Federal Reserve and visit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce tomorrow. About the Chamber The Salt Lake Chamber is Utah’s largest business association and Utah’s Business Leader. With roots that date back to 1887, the Chamber has been standing as the voice of business, supporting its members’ success and championing community prosperity for over 100 years. The Chamber represents 5,300 businesses statewide and one in every three jobs in the Utah economy. Chamber strategic partners include the Downtown Alliance and World Trade Center Utah. Source: Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce