George Allen endorsed by U.S. Chamber of Commerce

McLean, VA – Today, George Allen received the official endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for the Virginia U.S. Senate race. The announcement was made at a press conference this morning held at Fairfax County’s Pavilions of Turkey Run sponsored by J.R.’s Goodtimes, Inc, a collaboration of small hospitality businesses owned by U.S. Chamber Board of Directors Member Jim Wordsworth. Mr. Wordsworth is also Chairman of the Small Business Council of the U.S. Chamber, which is responsible for policy and legislation matters for U.S. small businesses.

“I’m honored to have earned the very meaningful endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,” said George Allen. “As Susan and I have traveled throughout Virginia, we’ve listened to the concerns of hardworking small business owners worried about a government that taxes without listening and regulates without understanding. We stand shoulder to shoulder with Virginia job creators who need lower taxes, reasonable regulations, and more affordable energy and health care to be able to grow and hire again. I share the U.S. Chamber’s commitment to a less intrusive federal government to help American businesses have the freedom and opportunity to compete and succeed. We need to send a message to the world that ‘America is Open for Business Again.’”

The U.S. Chamber cited George Allen’s record of supporting pro-business issues as a key factor in earning this endorsement.

George Allen’s economic solutions are featured in his Blueprint for America’s Comeback, a pro-jobs growth plan of action to reinvigorate the entrepreneurial spirit of our country. George Allen supports a more fair, simple and competitive tax code that reduces the tax on job-creators from 35 percent to 20 percent. His plan also includes reining in regulations by requiring an economic impact analysis of any regulation costing more than $100 Million a year. And George Allen champions unleashing our energy resources from our coalfields to our coast to power our economy with more affordable and reliable American energy.

“As a small business owner, I know what it’s like to make tough decisions, and I understand the devastating impact burdensome regulations can have on companies and their employees’ livelihoods,” said Jim Wordsworth, owner of J.R.’s Goodtimes. “As a Virginian, I’ve seen the difference in philosophy of what it takes to maintain a healthy economy – an ‘Open for Business’ mentality versus a ‘Government is the Answer’ approach. George Allen and his ‘Open for Business’ motto has it right. I’m proud to support George Allen as the candidate with a proven record of job creation as Governor and Senator.”

In the U.S. Chamber’s endorsement notification, President and CEO Tom Donohue writes, “We believe that George Allen’s election to the U.S. Senate will help produce sustained economic growth, help create more jobs, and get our country back on track.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes and sectors throughout America.