WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Uncertainty over how a range of issues will be resolved by politicians in the nations' capital is preventing business owners from hiring new workers or expanding their businesses, the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will say Tuesday.
Tom Donohue, the president and chief executive of the powerful business lobby, will detail the lengthy list of concerns that business owners have in a speech scheduled to begin shortly.
"While there has been some improvement in the economy, we must add another word when describing the state of American business today - and that word is 'uncertainty,'" Donohue will say, according to excerpts of the speech released by the Chamber.
These include the impact of the health care legislation, a possible climate change bill creating a cap and trade system, stringent rules on emissions from the Environmental Protection Agency, an effort to rewrite the financial regulatory framework, a push by labor for a measure making it easier for unions to organize in the workplace and the rise of trade isolationism, Donohue will say.
These are all set against a wider backdrop of unease in the business community over the federal government's fiscal imbalances, the chamber head will say.
Donohue will say that how this "laundry list" of issues plays out will determine whether it is a positive or negative year for the business community.
Copyright 2009 Dow Jones Newswires
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