NAM, NAW, and NEMA published feedback to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address last week.
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:
“President Biden rightly focused on many policies that will keep manufacturing strong in America amid a global crisis. We strongly agree that the bipartisan infrastructure law was an accomplishment of historic proportion, and we continue to support its swift implementation.
“We are ready to work with anyone to advance policies that will strengthen the industry, but we strongly oppose proposals that would weaken our industry and threaten our recovery, including undoing the progress of tax reform and imposing policies that would disrupt our workplaces. Manufacturers are working hard to fill more than 800,000 open jobs and connect more Americans with rewarding careers, and some of the actions outlined tonight would make it harder for us to solve this top challenge.
“We couldn’t agree more, however, that supply chain issues must remain a focus for lawmakers, and we’re going to continue working with both parties to deliver final competitiveness and supply chain legislation and build on the steps the administration is taking. In this time of challenge and uncertainty, we’re more committed than ever to focus on policy—not politics, personality or process.
“As the United States and our allies continue to lend support for Ukraine’s fight for its democracy, President Biden used his State of the Union address tonight to rally Americans and the world in support of the cause and rightly emphasized the importance of American leadership and defending our shared values when so much is at stake. Manufacturers join this call for unity.”
Eric Hoplin, President and CEO of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) issued the below statement following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address.
“The President’s state of the union address was like the tale of two speeches, one that united Americans around the virtues of supporting Ukraine’s heroic stand against tyranny and the other a misguided attempt to revive his failed economic policies which have led to record inflation, worker shortages, and supply chain disruption.”
Meanwhile, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) sent a letter to Congress:
After President Biden’s State of the Union call for Congress to immediately pass bipartisan competitiveness legislation, National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) President and CEO Debra Phillips sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urging them to move quickly to reach a bipartisan compromise on competitiveness legislation from the Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) and the recently House-passed America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing Pre-Eminence in Technology and Economic Strength (America COMPETES) Act, ensuring that the reconciled bill finally funds the CHIPS Act.
In addition, Phillips outlined NEMA’s five key priorities for incorporation into the final competitiveness legislation package. Congress should:
- Provide manufacturing support and funding for elements of the broader semiconductor ecosystem, including transistors, diodes, and other components which are critical to manufacturing many electrical products and are not currently available from U.S. sources.
- Support important provisions re-authorizing and establishing key tariff-relief programs such as the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill, the Generalized System of Preferences Program, and restart and reform the Section 301 tariff exclusions process; delay inclusion of the Section 321 de minimis program provision in the Conference process and pursue further information-gathering activities to better understand its potential impact.
- Consider widening the eligibility of the International Standards Development Capacity Building Pilot Program to all U.S. businesses, as well as relevant trade associations, given the key roles large and small businesses and trade associations play in establishing international manufacturing standards.
- Support the creation of the of a strategic transformer program and ensure that: (1) the Department of Energy consults original equipment manufacturers as reserves are established; (2) that consideration is given to the current lack of availability of electrical steel, which makes it difficult to increase outputs in the near-term to accomplish the outlined objectives; and (3) that authorized funding remains available until it is expended.
- Include in the final competitiveness legislation the state flex-tech energy program included in the COMPETES Act.
“The recent passage of the COMPETES for America Act was another important step in easing supply chain challenges and bolstering U.S. semiconductor manufacturing capabilities across the economy – from manufacturing, smart buildings, medical diagnostics, and mobility technologies,” said NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips. “But it has been over a year since Congress authorized the CHIPS Act in the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act. The time is now to find a bipartisan compromise on the Senate and House versions of competitiveness legislation and send it to the president’s desk for immediate signature.”
Phillips continued: “Not only are semiconductors essential to nearly every aspect of Americans’ lives – from essential medical imaging equipment to smart grid technologies, but a reliable, resilient supply is required to achieve the shared infrastructure modernization goals of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Failure to solve short- and long-term supply chain challenges stalls the transformation of U.S. infrastructure systems toward an accessible, electrified transportation system, modernized buildings and lighting, a more resilient grid, and increased efficiency of expanded manufacturing.”
“NEMA looks forward to working with lawmakers on fortifying our nation’s manufacturing base, strengthening supply chain systems and streamlining regulatory programs to support the creation of an electrified, connected, and sustainable future that will enhance the quality of life for all Americans, grow our economy, protect the environment and serve the nation’s long-term interests,” she concluded.