Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Association of Manufacturers, along with more than 100 manufacturing associations, sent a letter to President Donald Trump laying out a roadmap for regulatory actions across a wide range of agencies that would boost the manufacturing economy and put a stop to the regulatory onslaught that is costing manufacturers $350 billion each year.

Manufacturers have made the case that unbalanced, unworkable regulations severely impact our ability to grow and create jobs. Today’s letter lays out specific steps the new administration can take to reverse the trend of federal agency overreach—providing much-needed regulatory certainty to manufacturers and empowering the industry to continue to make the long-term investments that drive job creation, growth and economic competitiveness here in the United States.

The letter states, in part:

Dear President-elect Trump,

Right now, regulations are strangling our economy. Manufacturers are shouldering enormous regulatory compliance costs—nearly $350 billion annually, or 12% of our entire sector’s contribution to U.S. GDP. For smaller manufacturers with fewer than 50 employees, these costs can exceed $50,000 per employee each year. This means that a small manufacturer with just 20 employees pays $1 million per year to comply with federal regulations—rather than investing those funds in raises or new jobs.

The regulatory onslaught reached a fever pitch during the Biden administration. Prior to the election, the National Association of Manufacturers surveyed the industry and found a significant decline in optimism among manufacturers, with an unfavorable business climate, particularly taxes and regulations, cited as a primary business challenge by more than 60% of respondents.

You have the opportunity to tackle this challenge by addressing burdensome regulations that are stifling investment, making us less competitive in the world, limiting innovation and threatening the very jobs we are all working to create right here in America.

The letter highlights more than three dozen regulatory actions the Trump administration can take to support manufacturing growth, including the following:

• Liquefied Natural Gas Export Ban: On Day One of your administration, lift the pause on LNG exports through an updated national interest assessment.
• Permitting Reform: Appoint an official within your administration to help coordinate policies across the executive branch to ease the permitting burden. Specifically, your administration should start by prioritizing a reconsideration of the “NEPA Phase 2 Rule” and the current implementation of the permitting reform provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
• National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter and Ozone: Reconsider and relax the Biden administration’s NAAQS for PM2.5 rule and maintain both the primary and secondary standard for the NAAQS for ozone rule at 70 parts per billion.
• Power Plant Rules: Replace the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule for existing coal-fired and new natural gas–fired power plants with workable standards.
• Proxy Advisory Firms and the Proxy Process: Rescind Staff Legal Bulletin 14L and end the politicization of the proxy process. Additionally, enforce and preserve the 2020 proxy advisory firm rule while taking steps to build on its reforms with additional policies modeled on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s 2019 proposal.

To view the full letter and list of regulations, click here.

Background:

In 2023, the NAM, along with members of the NAM’s Council of Manufacturing Associations and Conference of State Manufacturers Associations, launched the Manufacturers for Sensible Regulations coalition to address the impact of the regulatory onslaught coming from federal agencies.

An NAM-commissioned analysis on the cost of federal regulations to the U.S. economy shows the following:

• The total cost of federal regulations exceeds $3 trillion each year, an amount equal to 11% of U.S. GDP.
• Federal regulations cost the manufacturing sector about $350 billion per year.
• Small manufacturers with fewer than 50 employees face disproportionate regulatory burdens, incurring costs of more than $50,000 per employee per year to comply with federal regulations.
• Since 2012, there has been a $465 billion increase in aggregate regulatory compliance costs.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.91 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the nomination of Paul Atkins to serve as the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission:

“Manufacturers commend President Trump’s nomination of Paul Atkins to serve as the next chair of the SEC. During his time as an SEC commissioner under President Bush, Chair-designate Atkins was a champion for capital formation and ensuring that manufacturers—and especially small manufacturers—were able to attract the investment they needed to grow and succeed. America’s world-leading capital markets must continue to support capital formation for manufacturing growth and long-term, shared economic prosperity for America’s Main Street investors.

“Manufacturers look forward to working with Chair-designate Atkins to ensure that our nation’s securities regulations empower manufacturers to grow, innovate and support workers and communities nationwide. Manufacturers urge Chair-designate Atkins to act immediately to rescind Staff Legal Bulletin 14L, a misguided standard that politicizes public companies’ proxy ballots and distracts from shareholder value creation; defend and enforce the SEC’s landmark 2020 rule bringing much-needed oversight to proxy advisory firms—and build on these reforms to further rein in proxy firms’ outsized influence; and revisit overreaching and costly reporting requirements finalized during recent years to ensure that the SEC’s disclosure regime remains focused on material information for investors—rather than inflexible mandates that hinder innovation and growth.

“As the backbone of the American economy, manufacturers of all sizes depend on fair, transparent and balanced regulatory policies to fuel growth and provide opportunity for millions of workers and investors. Paul Atkins’ leadership offers an opportunity to refocus the SEC’s priorities on fostering economic growth and protecting investors without imposing unnecessary burdens on manufacturers.”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.91 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons issued the following statement on the nomination of Scott Bessent to be the next Treasury Secretary:

“President Trump’s 2017 tax reforms were rocket fuel for manufacturing, and their transformative impact cannot be overstated. They put into place competitive policies that fueled record job creation, wage growth, capital investment and innovation.

“With the nomination of Scott Bessent as Secretary of the Treasury, we have an opportunity to build on this momentum. President Trump recently pledged at the NAM’s fall board meeting that he will make these tax cuts permanent, and Scott will play a vital role in achieving that goal.

“Scott’s deep expertise in financial markets and his dedication to fostering economic growth make him an outstanding choice to lead the Treasury Department. Manufacturers are ready to work with him to ensure that manufacturing can continue to drive the economy forward.”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.91 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Ottawa, Canada – Following the nomination of former U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra to be ambassador to Canada, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“We appreciate President Trump’s foresight in prioritizing the U.S.–Canadian relationship and negotiating the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement, a trade deal that has been essential to the strength and success of manufacturing across North America. We look forward to working with former U.S. Ambassador and Congressman Pete Hoekstra as the next U.S. ambassador to Canada. The NAM has just concluded this year’s North American Manufacturing Conference in Ottawa, where the importance of the USMCA was a central theme among the business leaders, members of Parliament and key ministers who participated. In fact, a recent survey conducted with our partners in both countries found that 94% of manufacturers say that the USMCA is integral to their supply chains. We look forward to working with the incoming ambassador to strengthen ties among our North American allies to shore up supply chains and counter unfair practices from other nations like China.”

Background: In 2023, the NAM, the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) and the Confederation of Industrial Chambers of Mexico (CONCAMIN) agreed to collaborate on the Manufacturing Agenda of the Future, including hosting the inaugural North American Manufacturing Conference at the NAM’s headquarters in Washington. This week, the second conference took place in Ottawa, bringing together key business leaders from across North America and elected officials from the U.S., Canada and Mexico to discuss strategies for strengthening the region’s manufacturing sector and ensuring a robust USMCA ahead of the 2026 review.

More information on the North American Manufacturing Conference can be found here.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.91 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons issued the following statement on the election of Sen. John Thune (R-SD) to Senate majority leader:

“Leader Thune has been the true definition of a manufacturing champion. He has consistently supported legislation important to the industry, especially small and medium-sized manufacturers, and he has led on critical issues for U.S. competitiveness, such as taxes, energy and workforce issues. I have known John for 20 years, going back to my days as executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee the year he was elected. There is no question in my mind that he is the right senator to take the reins as majority leader.

“Leader Thune has been a constant force for manufacturers in the Senate Republican leadership and has repeatedly engaged the NAM Board of Directors in shaping future policies.

“Now, our work continues together to secure ‘rocket fuel’ for manufacturing and to extend and restore the provisions of the 2017 Trump tax cuts, so that manufacturers can invest more in their operations, expand their workforces and drive innovation. Together, we can make America greater.”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.91 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers has launched a seven-figure video and digital advertising campaign urging Congress to pass legislation this year to bring much-needed reform to pharmacy benefit managers, whose practices increase health care costs for manufacturers and manufacturing workers. The NAM’s Q3 2024 Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey found that 78% of small manufacturers with fewer than 50 employees cite rising health care costs as a primary business challenge—the top concern among small business respondents in the survey.

“Manufacturers are clamoring for Congress to rein in PBMs this year. The momentum is with lawmakers to enact comprehensive reform in both the government and commercial health insurance market that increases transparency and reduces prices for everyone,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “Manufacturing workers and retirees are spending more at the pharmacy counter, in large part because insurer-owned PBMs drive up their own profits by inflating prescription drug prices and pocketing discounts that biopharmaceutical manufacturers intended to be passed on to patients.”

Timmons continued, “Congress has an extraordinary opportunity in the lame duck to pass transformative legislation that increases transparency into PBMs’ business practices, delinks PBM compensation from drug prices and puts patients first.”

To view the NAM’s latest digital ad, click here.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.91 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the results of the 2024 election.

“Manufacturers congratulate President-elect Donald Trump on his historic victory and strong performance across manufacturing intensive states.

“Every election represents a new beginning, providing a fresh opportunity to work with and for all Americans, no matter their political affiliation, and to recommit ourselves to the American experiment. President-elect Trump, we have worked with you during your time in office to enact historic wins for the 13 million people who make things in America, to drive increased investment in the sector, create jobs and provide for communities across the country. Now it’s time to get to work to address the policies that will define your administration.

“The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was ‘rocket fuel’ for manufacturers. The legislation increased wages, helped us hire and make tremendous investments in our businesses and communities, giving us the certainty we needed to kickstart the manufacturing resurgence we have seen in recent years. Efforts to modernize permitting processes, unleash American energy and relieve backlogs of pipeline projects helped make us energy independent and provide needed resources for allies around the world.

“But we are facing monumental headwinds today, and sector optimism is at its lowest levels in years. The cost of business continues to increase. From health care to looming tax hikes, and aggressive agency overreach, the policies of today are keeping shovels out of the ground. We believe that we can build on the successes of our previous work together to roll back burdensome regulations, unleash American energy security, power the economy of the future with an all-of-the-above energy strategy and restore the dignity of manufacturing work.

“More than 600 business leaders joined the NAM in signing a letter, which was released publicly on Election Day, to the next president stating, ‘We believe in an exceptional America, and that our future is strongest when we are united … This moment is critical for the millions of workers and communities who rely on our success. A strong manufacturing economy is essential to our national security, economic resilience and continued prosperity. We must restore confidence in the future and in the economic systems that have long driven opportunity and innovation, so that American families and businesses can thrive in a united and forward-looking nation.’

“With competitive taxes, sensible regulation and unleashed American energy, manufacturers are ready to win big. We are prepared to work closely with you and your new administration to build a future where our workers thrive and American leadership remains second to none.

“Elections may place Americans on different sides, but as we approach America’s 250th anniversary, this can be a moment to renew our belief in each other and in the promise of our nation—the promise we see every day on shop floors across our country. Let’s work together as we did before to define not just your time in the White House but to define a historic moment in our nation’s history.”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.91 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers and 606 business leaders from across the manufacturing economy signed and released a letter to be sent to the next president, following the election. The letter demonstrates a firm commitment to working with the next administration regardless of whom the American people send to the White House.

The letter states the following:

Dear President-Elect:

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we, the leaders of America’s manufacturing industry and the industries that support it, extend our congratulations on your election. This historic milestone reminds us of the moments when our country came together to define its future—built on the foundation of free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.

We believe in an exceptional America, and that our future is strongest when we are united. As business leaders, we have a unique responsibility to help bridge divides and advance our shared purpose. In this era of challenges and change, we are committed to working together to strengthen trust and collaboration—within our sectors and across the nation.

This moment is critical for the millions of workers and communities who rely on our success. A strong manufacturing economy is essential to our national security, economic resilience and continued prosperity. We must restore confidence in the future and in the economic systems that have long driven opportunity and innovation, so that American families and businesses can thrive in a united and forward-looking nation.

We understand the power of collaboration and are ready to work productively with your administration to tackle the pressing challenges we face. While there may be moments of disagreement, we are committed to addressing those differences with mutual respect and in the spirit of constructive dialogue.

The days following a hard-fought election have always been a time for healing, finding common ground and renewing our focus on what unites us as a people. The peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of our democracy and is essential to ensuring continued confidence in the rule of law—a commitment that has made America exceptional.

As leaders of industries that drive America’s promise, you can count on us as steadfast partners in this work and in building our future together.

To view the full list of signatories, click here.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.91 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org

Washington, D.C. – Following news that Boeing machinists voted against a new labor deal, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“The broader impact of this ongoing work stoppage is being seen across the aerospace sector as manufacturers within the supply chain are being forced to furlough employees and shutter operations. That’s why we’re urging union leadership to head back to the table and find a solution to end this prolonged strike and why we thank Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su for her continued engagement. We’re looking at a cost of more than $3.7 billion to the regional economy after 45 days, according to NAM calculations. It is critical that an agreement be reached so we can protect Americans from the consequences of supply chain disruptions and strengthen the manufacturing industry. Preventing even greater damage to the broader economy means ensuring that Boeing is strong and operational.”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.91 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – Following the release of guidance by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS for the Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit (Section 45X of the Internal Revenue Code), National Association of Manufacturers Managing Vice President of Policy Chris Netram released the following statement:

“Manufacturers welcome today’s announcement of final guidance on the 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit and appreciate the administration’s willingness to make improvements that support manufacturing in the U.S. In particular, including critical mineral extraction and materials costs in the credit calculation will help bolster supply chain resiliency throughout the manufacturing sector. This tax credit will help manufacturers build a strong and sustainable domestic advanced manufacturing supply chain—from mining to processing to final product assembly.”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.91 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.