US Chamber CEO Calls for Tariff Cuts, Cites Labor Shortages in Construction

The US Chamber of Commerce's public policy priorities, if adopted, would represent a reversal of recent US trade and immigration restrictions, with measurable implications for construction costs...

Suzanne Clark, President and CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce, stated on October 16, 2026, that American businesses are seeking lower tariffs, faster permitting, more legal immigration, and additional trade agreements, according to her remarks on Bloomberg's "Balance of Power" with host Kailey Leinz. Clark said businesses continue to see consumer demand but face persistent labor shortages, particularly in construction and skilled trades.

The US Chamber of Commerce represents more than three million businesses of all sizes and sectors, according to the organization's own membership disclosures. It is one of the largest lobbying organizations in the United States by reported lobbying expenditure, spending $32.9 million in 2025 according to OpenSecrets data drawn from Senate lobbying disclosure filings.

Clark's call for lower tariffs comes amid an active US trade policy environment. The Office of the United States Trade Representative has maintained or expanded tariff schedules on a range of imported goods from multiple trading partners. The specific tariff rates and their projected effects on supply chains are detailed in USTR Federal Register notices, which are publicly accessible. Clark did not specify which tariff schedules she was referencing in the Bloomberg interview.

On legal immigration, Clark identified construction and skilled trades as sectors where labor shortages are most acute. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), most recently released for August 2026, tracks open positions across industry sectors. The construction sector has reported elevated job openings relative to historical averages in recent JOLTS releases, though the precise figure for the most current reporting period would require citation of the specific JOLTS table.

The Chamber's position on immigration aligns with its longstanding advocacy for expanding H-2B and H-1B visa programs, positions it has detailed in formal comment letters submitted to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor. Whether Congress or the executive branch will act on these priorities in the current legislative session is unknown. What would reveal the near-term policy trajectory is the outcome of ongoing appropriations negotiations and any executive orders issued by the administration.

Clark's remarks on trade agreements also carry supply chain implications. The United States currently maintains active free trade agreements with 20 countries, as listed by the USTR. Any new agreements would require Congressional approval under Trade Promotion Authority procedures established in 19 U.S.C. Chapter 25. No new trade agreement is currently pending before Congress according to publicly available legislative records as of October 16, 2026.

The business community's focus on permitting speed reflects a persistent issue in US infrastructure and energy project development. The National Environmental Policy Act review process has been a focal point of reform efforts in both the 118th and 119th Congresses. The Council on Environmental Quality has published proposed rules affecting NEPA timelines, with public comment periods documented in the Federal Register.

For US investors, the Chamber's stated priorities are relevant to several sectors. Homebuilders, infrastructure contractors, and materials companies listed on US exchanges are directly exposed to both labor cost pressures and tariff-affected input costs. The iShares US Home Construction ETF (ITB) and the SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) track publicly traded companies in these categories. Their performance relative to broader indices would reflect, in part, market pricing of the labor and materials cost environment Clark described.

The Federal Reserve has cited labor market conditions and goods price inflation, both of which intersect with tariff and immigration policy, as inputs to its interest rate decisions. The Fed's most recent Beige Book, published prior to the late-October 2026 Federal Open Market Committee meeting, includes qualitative reporting from business contacts across all 12 Federal Reserve Districts on labor availability and input costs. As noted in recent TCT coverage, Fed's Warsh Declines to Signal Rate Path Before Late-October Meeting, the Fed has not committed to a specific rate direction ahead of its next scheduled meeting.

The Chamber has not yet published a formal legislative agenda document for the remainder of the 119th Congress. Clark's Bloomberg interview represents a public statement of business priorities, but the specific policy vehicles that would carry these measures into law, and the likelihood of their passage, remain unknown as of the date of this report.