Award recognizes congressman’s effort to grow U.S. business

U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-Napoleonville) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are seeing things the same way, at least nearly three-quarters of the time.

The Chamber gave Melancon its annual Spirit of Enterprise Award last week for the work he did in the 2008 sessions. The award goes to U.S. representatives and senators who vote favorably on 70 percent or more of the bills on which the Chamber takes a position.

Melancon, a member of the conservative Democrats’ Blue Dog Coalition, voted with the Chamber on 71 percent (12 out of 18) of the bills in 2008. One vote was not recorded.

The Chamber notifies representatives and senators about its stance on bills that impinge on business interests in the U.S., said Melancon spokeswoman Robin Winchell.

Last year was difficult for the Chamber because it had to adjust to a Democratic majority in Congress, Winchell said.

“The Chamber has always had a good relationship with Melancon,” she said, “but they had to reach out last year (to Congress).”

Melancon evaluates the Chamber’s positions on bills on a case-by-case basis, she said.

The bills supported by both Melancon and the Chamber last year were the act creating the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which bought some of the assets of faltering banks; an act expanding access to science and technology education; the Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act, which the Chamber said would increase business investment and consumer spending; anti-pirating legislation; an amendment to the Americans with Disabilities Act; and legislation increasing funding for the Highway Trust Fund.

Melancon and the Chamber also supported amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, protecting telecommunications companies against litigation for conducting surveillance for the federal government.

Winchell said the bill was a compromise that would protect national security and private citizens.

Melancon voted in favor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which was opposed by the Chamber. The legislation increased exposure of employers to litigation concerning pay disparities.

The Chamber and Melancon supported a subsequent amendment narrowing the scope of punitive damages.

Melancon also opposed the Chamber by voting for the Farm Bill (the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act), guaranteeing sugar producers in the U.S. an 85 percent share of the sugar market in the country.

The bill was opposed by the Chamber and by President Bush, who had his veto of the legislation overridden by Congress.

The Chamber viewed the bill as anti-liberalized trade. Both the Chamber and Bush thought the subsidy program in the bill needed reform, Winchell said.

“Melancon supports the sugar program,” she said.

Melancon headed the Thibodaux-based association of growers the American Sugar Cane League from 1993 to 2004.

The congressman won the Spirit of Enterprise Award as well in 2007 for work done in 2006.

Congressman Charlie Melancon accepts the Spirit of Enterprise Award from U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donohue. Melancon was honored for his support of pro-growth legislation during the second session of the 110th Congress. * Photo courtesy of U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Ian Wagreich