U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, on Thursday received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's "Spirit of Enterprise" award for his support of a pro-economic growth agenda in Congress during 2004.

The chamber award is based on rankings it gives members of Congress for key business votes. Matheson earned an 86 percent score with the chamber last year. He has compiled a 72 percent cumulative ranking during his Congressional tenure.

"It is critical to have members of Congress fighting for American business and their employees at this time of economic expansion and opportunity," Thomas J. Donohue, the chamber's president and chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement. "Jim Matheson is a leader who has voted time and again to create jobs, improve our domestic security and promote economic expansion."

The chamber represents more than 3 million businesses and organizations.