On Jan. 16, Suzanne P. Clark, President and Chief Executive Officer of the US Chamber, gave the chamber’s annual ‘State of American Business’ address, with the overarching theme that all business is local.
“The State of American Business is local because businesses serve people where they are,” Clark said. “Wherever a company, a service, a product, or a solution originates, its impact is always local. Because local is where we live our lives.”
With the start of the new congress and a new president, Clark focused on key areas that Washington, D.C. needs to focus on, closely aligned with the priorities of the Detroit Regional Chamber.
Combat Anti-growth Policies
First, there needs to be a focus on rolling back excessive regulation. The Biden administration enacted several anti-growth policies that have hampered the local economy and moved the country backward economically.
The Detroit Regional Chamber has opposed many actions taken by the Biden administration, such as the banning of LNG exports, the ban on non-compete agreements, mandatory overtime pay, and the Basel III endgame. The Trump administration must focus on rolling back these excessive overreaches of government.
Related: A Conversation With Suzanne P. Clark at the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference
Find Bipartisan Solution for 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Expiration, Tariffs
Second, Congress needs to act in a bipartisan matter to preserve much of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which is set to expire this year. This includes the expiration of the deduction of qualifying pass-through income, the expanded child credit, and a SALT cap of $10,000.
Lastly, the U.S. thrives in a free market, including the global economy. Tariffs used for political purposes have immense impacts on local economies, affecting everything from vehicle production to school supplies. If tariffs are going to be used as a negotiation tactic for more fair-trade deals, Michigan and American businesses need to be held unharmed.
“The bottom line is this — tariffs are a tax paid by Americans, and their broad and indiscriminate use would stifle growth at the worst possible time,” said Clark.
By focusing on these key areas, Washington can create an environment where local businesses can thrive, innovate, and continue to serve their communities. The path to a stronger, more resilient American economy begins at the local level, and the time for action, as underscored by Clark, is now.