OFFICERS Chair: Matthew Mahood President & Chief Executive Officer San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber

First Vice Chair: John Horner President & Chief Executive Officer Morgan Hill Chamber

Treasurer: Anjali Kausar Chief Executive Officer Cupertino Chamber

Immediate Past Chair: Dennis King Executive Director Hispanic Chamber Silicon Valley BOARD Liz Ainsworth President Milpitas Chamber of Commerce

Cindy Bonior President & CEO Fremont Chamber of Commerce

Don Eagleston President & CEO Sunnyvale Silicon Valley Chamber

Oscar Garcia President & CEO Mountain View Chamber

Ron Gardner Board of Directors Rainbow Chamber of Commerce

Denise Harris Vice President, Membership & Programs Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce & Convention & Visitors Bureau

Wilbur Jackson Board of Directors Silicon Valley Black Chamber

Judy Kleinberg President & CEO Palo Alto Chamber

Zack Marks Executive Director Los Gatos Chamber

Julie Rose President Los Altos Chamber

Gary Smith Legislative Chair Saratoga Chamber

Steve Van Dorn Corporate Affairs Manager, Silicon Valley/Bay Area California Chamber of Commerce

August 17, 2015 U.S. Chamber of Commerce: On behalf of the Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition, we would like to express our disagreement with the U.S. Chambers recent lobbying campaign on anti-smoking restrictions. We believe these regulations are against our countrys mission of preventing health issues, creates confusion on the stance and priorities of the U.S. Chamber and effectively, local chambers, and sets the wrong precedence for maintaining the credibility of the U.S. Chamber in other important issues.

The U.S. Chambers decision counters widespread efforts for anti-smoking campaigns and health programs. Smoking is the most preventable cause of death and with the current rate among U.S. youth, 5.6 million of todays Americans younger than 18 years of age are expected to die prematurely from a smoking-related illness. This represents about one in every 13 Americans aged 17 years or younger who are alive today (Center for Disease Control). We cannot stand to support a campaign that promotes irresponsible management of ones health.

This campaign has created confusion because we cannot understand why the U.S. Chamber placed business interests over public health. The U.S. Chamber itself states that it is focused on promoting effective private sector solutions to our health care challenges that will help control costs, expand access, and improve the quality of care (U.S. Chamber of Commerce website, Health Care). Supporting the anti-smoking restrictions does exactly the opposite of your statement. Recently, the New York Times reviewed documents from foreign governments and chamber affiliates. It show[s] how the chamber has embraced the challenge, undertaking a three-pronged strategy in its global campaign to advance the interests of the tobacco industry (New York Times). This is contradictory to your own mission, and reflects poorly not just on your association, but on the rest of the Chambers of Commerce in the nation.

Dr. Margaret Chan, the Director General of the World Health Organization argues, by lobbying against well-established, widely accepted and evidence-based tobacco control public health policies, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce undermines its own credibility on other issues (New York Times). Billionaire British entrepreneur, Richard Branson also agrees to this by publicly stating the Chamber was on the wrong side of history (New York Times).

The Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition serves as a unified voice on local, regional, state, and federal legislative issues that affect business, the economy and the quality of life. We actively promote and encourage people to live a longer and healthier life. It is our responsibility to safeguard peoples health; however the U.S. Chambers campaign does not reflect that, even though you state your goal of improving the quality of health care.

We strongly urge you to reconsider your campaign against anti-smoking restrictions. Sincerely,

Matthew R. Mahood Chair

Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition | 101 W. Santa Clara St. | San Jose, CA 95113 | 408-291-5250 | svchambercoalition.org