The massive Wall Street bailout package passed and signed into law last week won’t be a quick fix for the nation’s economic woes, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce official said Wednesday morning.

Moore Hallmark, southeastern regional director for the U.S. Chamber, said the U.S. Chamber backed the $700 billion bailout that needed two House votes before it passed. But it may be a while before its effects are felt throughout the financial markets and the economy.

“Something had to be done,” he said. “It’s not a perfect bill. It’s going to take time to work.”

And how the bailout plan will be put into effect remains unclear, Hallmark said. The Treasury Department only recently appointed 35-year-old Neel Kashkari, a former Goldman Sachs executive who was an adviser to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. The rush to push the bailout package was so fast, U.S. Chamber officials had “days and hours,” instead of the usual “weeks and months” to sort through the proposal, Hallmark said.

But the economic signs were troubling well before giants AIG and Lehman Brothers toppled last month and Bear Stearns went under in March, according to Hallmark.

“Even with the economic stimulus package (this spring), the writing’s been on the wall for quite some time that the economy needed a boost,” he said.

Calls to U.S. Chamber officials on the Monday before the bailout passed were running negative. By Wednesday, they had tapered off and evened out. By Thursday, the calls asking the Chamber to oppose the bailout had stopped.

The rescue of financial markets has an impact on Main Street, Hallmark said, and more than 50 percent of Americans now own stock. He noted a Christmas store that generally starts its heavy season now is having trouble securing credit so it can buy the inventory it needs.

Hallmark, who served as an aide to then-congressman and now presidential hopeful Bob Barr, said the Chamber doesn’t endorse candidates for president but will back those running for U.S. House or Senate. The Chamber has endorsed Saxby Chambliss, now engaged in a tough re-election fight for his Senate seat with Jim Martin in what was once seen as a cakewalk, and Jack Kingston for his U.S. House seat.

Both men scored over 70 on the Chamber’s scorecard of key votes to earn automatic endorsement, even though Kingston voted against the bailout.

U.S. Rep. John Barrow (D-Savannah) also voted against the bailout and though he has voted favorably on some issues, he has not garnered the needed score for an automatic endorsement, according to Hallmark. Even without the voting scorecard, the U.S. Chamber has endorsed Barrow.

“We have a good relationship with most members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike,” Hallmark said.

“We want to elect the most pro-business Congress we can, and we’re taking hits on some of our candidates.”

Yet the Congress now seated has been remarkably unproductive, Hallmark said, at an almost historic level.

“These are the lowest approval ratings (for a Congress) in the history of the Gallup polls,” he said. “The Senate has taken 25 percent fewer roll call votes than this time last year.”

Meanwhile, the House has passed only 300 bills, fewer than any Congress in the last 20 years, but has passed more than 1,900 resolutions, the largest ever. Those resolutions include such things as National Watermelon Day and a resolution in honor of soil, Hallmark noted.

“The delay of game strategy has taken on more of a presence this year,” he said. “A lot of this goes back to the partisan gridlock on both sides. The only thing that will make it to the president’s desk between now and January are war spending bills.”

Hallmark said the Democratic majority in the House and the Senate may be trying to wait out the elections to see if their majority grows in January. Democrats are hopeful of getting to 60 Senate seats, giving them a filibuster-proof majority.

“It’s a real possibility,” Hallmark said.

Organized labor and unions are exerting their muscle, not only into the election but into some key legislation under consideration. Hallmark said unions are spending $420 million this year on the election and drumming up 200,000 volunteers after spending $561 million total in the last two election cycles.

The Chamber has opposed the card check act, which is intended to strip away the secret ballots that go with workplace elections on whether to unionize.

“You hear a lot about this in the next few months,” Hallmark said. “The Chamber has opposed this legislation and will continue to do so.”

Hallmark said even former Sen. George McGovern has lambasted Democrats and unions for forcing the end of the secret ballot.

The U.S. Chamber also is backing a renewed effort on transportation funding and more exploration for energy sources, whether it is fossil fuel or renewable resources. Congress recently let the ban on some offshore drilling lapse and it is estimated there are 86 billion barrels of oil and 1.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas on 1.76 billion acres of submerged territory.

“Eighty-five percent of that has been off limits,” Hallmark said. “Congress must enact a sensible energy policy.”

The U.S. Chamber also has backed the No Child Left Behind legislation, which is set to expire. The Chamber doesn’t endorse a candidate for president for a number of reasons.

“Our offices are right across the street,” Hallmark said, “so we have to work with whoever is in the White House.”