Transportation and Infrastructure

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement after President Biden signed H.J. Res. 100 into law, concluding the collective bargaining process between Class I railroads and all labor unions representing the freight rail workforce and eliminating the threat of a disastrous rail strike.

“Thanks to swift action from President Biden and his administration, and bipartisan cooperation in Congress, a holiday supply chain disaster has been averted.

“Earlier this year, manufacturers called for and supported the creation of the Presidential Emergency Board to rectify the stalemate between the unions and railways. But when it became clear they wouldn’t reach a negotiated resolution, we called on Congress to act, as a freight rail shutdown would have been devastating to the manufacturing industry, the U.S. economy and all American families.

“We thank President Biden, Secretaries Walsh and Buttigieg as well as manufacturing allies in Congress for listening to our industry and working quickly to avert this crisis.”

-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 more than 12.9 million men and women, contributes $2.77 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% 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