U.S. Chamber lobbyist in B.R. blasts Congress, Obama

The chief lobbyist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sharply attacked Congress and the Obama administration at BRAC’s annual shareholders meeting this morning, bemoaning increased partisan gridlock and polarization in Washington, D.C. Yet Bruce Josten, executive vice president of government affairs with the U.S. Chamber, offered a glimmer of hope that successful tax reform is possible. “I think this session may be different,” says Josten, who was tapped to give the keynote Tuesday afternoon after U.S. Chamber president and CEO Thomas Donohue had to cancel his scheduled appearance due to illness. “There are some signs that an appetite to actually do something is appearing. I think the next few months in particular are going to matter in terms of how much political goodwill and trust between the two sides is available to move forward.” Josten says that’s going to depend largely on the spending and tax debates over the next few months. “The table is already being set now,” he says, adding that both sides want to “eliminate tax expenditures [and] deductions, close loopholes, raise revenue.” —April Castro