uschamber.com Magazine March 2005

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• A Big Win for Business: Class Action Reform Signed Into Law
  After years of virtual nonstop lobbying, grassroots outreach, and advocacy in the media, the U.S. Chamber pushed class action reform through Congress and to the president’s desk for his signature on February 18.
• Your Voice Counts: Results Are In!
  In January, we asked uschamber.com readers for their opinions in our Speak Out! survey.
• In your backyard
  News across the nation.
• Face Off: Does E-Waste Pose a Threat?: What We Do With Discarded Electronics
  Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA) and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) debate how to resolve the growing problem with e-waste.
• In Your Corner: Securing Our Financial Future: Social Security Reform Is Important
  Unfortunately, some in Washington can see only as far as the next election.
• Minnesota Chamber Forms Alliance: New Program Could Set Health Care Trend
  Today, no one is immune from the rising cost of health care. That’s why Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty introduced an innovative program-the Smart Buy Alliance-late last year.
• Born to Be an Entrepreneur?: Infuse Your Business With a New Spirit
  You may be a business owner, but does that automatically make you an entrepreneur?
• Stop Piracy and Counterfeiting
  Counterfeiting and piracy can impact every aspect of your daily life-both personal and business.
• The Chamber’s Online Small Business Tax Center: Tax Help at Your Fingertips
  It’s time to file your taxes, and this year you have an advantage that most people don’t: the online Small Business Tax Center, which is available only to members of the U.S. Chamber.
• Common Business Deductions
  To help you decide whether a particular expense is likely to be deductible, here is a list of the most common business deductions.
• Venture Into Success: How to Attract Venture Capital
  If you decide to pursue venture capital, rather than other funding sources, here’s what you need to know.
• AHPs Move Forward: President, Business Groups Express Support
  In late January, Richard N. Parsons, president of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, participated on a panel with President Bush to discuss this concept because the chamber, like many small businesses, would like to participate in or offer an AHP.
• Four Bills to Reform OSHA
  Four recently introduced bills would improve the likelihood of small businesses being treated fairly when they confront a citation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
• Tsunami Reconstruction Update: Businesses on Mission of Help and Hope
  As the tsunami waters have drained, the picture that emerges from this catastrophe is one of severe devastation. But as Ambassador of Sri Lanka Devinda R. Subasinghe says, "There is a silver lining."
• Small Business Council to Expand: Chamber Seeks More Member Participation
  To better serve the needs of its small business members, the U.S. Chamber will double the size of its Small Business Council by the summer of 2005.
• Medicare Regulations to Help Employers, Retirees
  New regulations will offer financial help to employers who provide voluntary prescription drug coverage for their retirees.
• Success Insight: Trucking Toward Major Results
  Mary Kisseberth is a majority of one. As the owner and operator of Major Carriers, Inc., a trucking company focused on the shipment of high-tech equipment, she would have it no other way.
• ECON 101: 2005 Economic Outlook: The Prognosis Is Good
  President Bush begins his second term with an economy that is on solid ground: above-trend growth, continued gradual improvement in labor-market conditions, tame inflation, and modest increases in interest rates.
• Small Bussiness Matters: Selecting a Benefits Program: Finding a Broker Who’s Right for You
  When looking at your company’s benefits program, you may want to consider working with an insurance broker. Obtaining good advice up front can save you money and time-and produce better results.
• Tech Tools: Fight Phishing: Don’t Get Hooked by Fake E-Mail
  Committing online fraud using forged e-mails has become so rampant that it has spawned its own term-phishing.
• Working for You: Tsunami Aid Takes Center Stage
  Herb Davis knows firsthand that the International Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce never takes a holiday.