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NAM, Sen. Heinrich Take Permitting Reform Push to New Mexico Shop Floor

By NAM NewsroomOctober 21, 2026

The NAM continues to take its push for comprehensive permitting reform directly to factory floors across America with NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons joining Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) in New Mexico to make the case for congressional action.

What’s going on: The NAM and Heinrich, a key architect of the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, convened a manufacturing roundtable at ABB’s Installation Products manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, which produces essential electrical products for U.S. electric utility customers.

  • The $40 million expansion of the Albuquerque factory in 2025 demonstrates the type of investment U.S. manufacturers are prepared to make to support U.S. infrastructure development.

The big picture: Modernizing America’s broken permitting system can unlock more investment, strengthen the electric grid and create more well-paying manufacturing jobs.

  • The visit comes as the NAM ramps up its nationwide advocacy to build momentum for the passage of the landmark bipartisan legislation.
  • Heinrich, ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, helped negotiate the bill alongside Sens. Shlley Moore Capito (R-WV), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Mike Lee (R-UT).

On the factory floor: Timmons, Heinrich, ABB site leader David Jaramillo, New Mexico State Rep. Meredith Dixon, New Mexico Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Rob Black, New Mexico Deputy Cabinet Secretary of Economic Development Isaac Romero, NAM Managing Vice President of Government Relations Stef Webb, ABB US VP of Government Relations Jim Creevy and ABB team members toured the company’s 90,000 square-foot manufacturing facility, which opened last year and produces essential components used in electrification.

  • The tour was followed by a roundtable discussion bringing manufacturers and policymakers together to discuss how permitting reform can accelerate infrastructure projects and drive demand for U.S. products.

What they said: “We’re talking about the importance of permitting reform, in particular to manufacturing,” said Heinrich, ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, in a video with Timmons directly after the roundtable.

  • “It was great to be able to come to New Mexico because we were able to talk about the fact that it’s costing manufacturers $8 billion every year because of our broken permitting system,” said Timmons.
  • “And to be quite honest,” he continued, “without the leadership of Sen. Heinrich and the other senators that were involved in … getting this bill drafted and introduced, we would not be anywhere close to getting this across the finish line, stated Timmons.”

Why it matters: America’s outdated, unpredictable permitting system costs manufacturers $8 billion annually, making it hard for manufacturers to expand, hire and compete.

  • “We can’t meet the demand today. We want to build a facility next door, but we can’t do that because of current holdups and rules,” Timmons told Punchbowl in an exclusive interview, illustrating the barriers manufacturers face.

NAM in action: The NAM has long called for comprehensive, bipartisan permitting reform and is undertaking a nationwide push to advance the BAAJA of 2026.

  • Ahead of the Senate bill’s introduction, NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons and four NAM board leaders urged Senate leadership to reach a bipartisan deal.
  • The NAM recently led more than 100 manufacturing and business organizations in urging Congress to pass the bipartisan legislation and is taking its message directly to lawmakers through manufacturing facility visits across the country.
  • The NAM is also amplifying manufacturers’ voices through a series of ads, in a national campaign to build momentum for reform.

NAM in the News: The New Mexico visit and the NAM’s permitting reform advocacy drew coverage from local television and national outlets, including Punchbowl News, POLITICO (subscription), KOB 4 News, and KRQE Channel 13.

  • Sen. Heinrich’s office also put out a press release about the visit. 

The bottom line: “It was not an easy task, but [BAAJA] is an example of what can be achieved in Washington when politics gets pushed aside and there’s a common goal of wanting to grow the economy and get more people hired into jobs that are really meaningful,” Timmons told KRQE.

  • “When we get this behind us, which we hope is soon, it means that manufacturers are going to be able to build,” Timmons told KRQE, referring to passing BAAJA. “They’re going to be able to hire. They’re going to be able to raise wages and focus on benefits. … We’re looking forward to helping get [the bill] across the line.”