Press Releases

National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement ahead of President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress:

“The stakes couldn’t be higher for manufacturers right now. Many manufacturers are operating on thin margins, and the tariffs imposed today will further strain their resources. For example:

• A large manufacturer in the power-engineering sector that imports more than $100 million every year in components and products from Mexico now faces increasing costs of $25 million due to the tariffs. As a major supplier to the U.S. utility and industrial market, this will directly impact the ability for domestic utilities and industrial customers to maintain a safe, efficient and secure power grid.
• Another large consumer goods manufacturer indicated the tariffs on Mexico will cost their company $200 million, and the Canadian retaliatory tariffs will add another $31 million—totaling $231 million, or $1.15 million per day.
• A small copper manufacturer had nine truckloads of copper rod sitting at the Canadian border waiting to go through Customs when the tariffs went into effect, leading to 388,000 pounds of copper goods being returned to the supplier. If the tariffs remain in effect, bringing copper—a critical manufacturing input—into the U.S. would cost the manufacturer nearly $50,000 per truckload going forward.

“To mitigate the adverse effects of today’s tariffs, manufacturers call on President Trump and Congress to implement a comprehensive manufacturing strategy that would create predictability and certainty to invest, plan and hire in America. This strategy includes the following actions:

1. Make President Trump’s 2017 tax reforms permanent and more competitive now. When President Trump signed these tax cuts into law, it was rocket fuel for manufacturing in America and made the U.S. economy more competitive on a global scale. That fuel is about to run out as key provisions have expired, and others are about to lapse. If Congress fails to act, it will cost America 6 million jobs, including more than 1.1 million manufacturing jobs. We must ensure these historic, pro-growth manufacturing provisions are made permanent and even more competitive so manufacturers can plan, grow and succeed.
2. Restore regulatory certainty. Manufacturers are spending $350 billion each year just to comply with regulations—money that could be spent on expanding factories and production lines, hiring new workers or raising wages. President Trump has taken action already to streamline burdensome regulations starting with lifting the liquefied natural gas export ban, but we need to move faster to deliver on our industry’s potential.
3. Expedite permitting reform to unleash American energy. President Trump is already ending the war on America’s energy producers, but there is more work to do. America should be the undisputed leader in energy production and innovation, but we will not reach our full potential without permitting reform. We are seeing opportunities for energy dominance fade in the face of a permitting process that takes 80% longer than other major, developed nations.
4. Strengthen the manufacturing workforce. Over the past year, we have averaged 500,000 open manufacturing jobs in America—well-paying, life-changing careers. Manufacturers are struggling to fill critical jobs. We need a real workforce strategy that ensures we have the talent to grow, compete and lead.
5. Implement commonsense trade policies that open global markets fairly and effectively. Building things in America only works if we can sell them around the world. That’s why we’re urging President Trump and Congress to provide greater predictability and a clear runway for manufacturers to adjust to new trade realities, while also making way for exemptions for critical inputs, enabling reciprocity in manufacturing trade.

“Manufacturers are investing in America in record numbers, and President Trump is focused on strengthening manufacturing in the United States to grow our nation’s economy. We look forward to working with President Trump as he works to advance policies that will help manufacturers thrive and prosper because when manufacturing wins, America wins.”

-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 $2.93 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.