Federal Issues

Business

• Support the Knoxville Metropolitan Airport in their quest to secure a low-fare carrier to McGhee Tyson Airport to further encourage competition and low air fares. KMA received a $500,000 grant to help with their efforts.
• Oppose Unfunded Health Care Mandates - Oppose bills that would madate employers to spend a set amount on health care benefits. The business community is eager to work with Congress to reform the health care system, however, the recently passed health care bill does not improve the health care system. There are three major areas of concern. A government-run plan that would increase costs and limit choice; an employer mandate that would kill jobs and lower wages; and a lack of any real effort to lower costs. Additionall, the bill may prove to be unconstitutional.
• Chamber opposes Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2009 HR 413. - If approved, this legislation woudl mandate collective bargaining rights for police, fire and emergency personnel in states where such activity is now prohibited under state law and would supersede the existing collective bargaining laws that are currently in place in other states.
  
• Chamber opposes Employee Free Choice Act/Card Check  - The legislation will strip employees of a private ballot in union organizing drives, intefere with a worker's ability to deal directly with their employer, and force unfair mandates on businesses.
• Support Energy, Science and Technology - Support Innovation Valley efforts.
• Air Quality Non-Attainment Status  - The Blount County Chamber opposes any changes to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs) for ozone. Blount County is currently disignated as non-attainment for EPA ozone standards along with six other counties in East Tennessee. Many changes have already been made to reduce emissions. The Chamber does not feel it is in the best interests of our nation for the federal government to lower current ozone standards. Doing so could provide a major blow to our national economy and further encourage businesses to depart for other nations with less burdensome regulations.
• Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act - HR 1873 - Reauthorizes the programs and activities of the Small Business Administration relating to procurement and other purposes. The Blount Chamber lobbied to include a provision in the Senate version to include removing all Fortune 1000 companies from the federal database of small businesses and recommended an annual recertification provision that would require all firms with existing federal contracts to recertify their status.
• Fair Share Bills - Fair Share bills would mandate employers to spend a set amount on health care benefits. Instead of encouraging employers to manage health care costs, the bills actually encourage maintaining above average health care costs. Additionally, the bills do not address provider access to affordable health care insurance.

Infrastructure

• Completion of Pellissippi Parkway to Highway 321 - TDOT proposes to extend and construct Pellissippi Parkway from SR 33 to SR 73 (US 321). The completion of Pellissippi Parkway is approximately 4.4 miles. The project was included in TEA-21 as a high priority project.