NAM’s Streeter Makes Case for Infrastructure, Permitting Reform on National TV

NAM Executive Vice President Erin Streeter took manufacturers’ infrastructure investment and permitting reform priorities to a national audience Friday, making the case for policies that will unleash investment, accelerate growth and strengthen manufacturing in America.

Taking the message nationwide: During the segment on One America News Network, which also featured the NAM’s new infrastructure ad from its “Building to Win” infrastructure campaign, Streeter emphasized the urgent need for robust infrastructure investment and comprehensive permitting reform to keep manufacturers competitive.

Manufacturers’ optimism: Manufacturers are “very optimistic” right now and investing in their U.S. operations, Streeter said, referencing the NAM’s Q3 Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey.

• “We’re seeing our optimism at a four-year high within our membership,” she noted. “There’s a lot of innovation taking place. The [2025] tax bill was critical for manufacturers. We’re seeing some of the regulatory burdens come down, and the energy dominance. … [Those are] all positive factors for manufacturers right now.”

Infrastructure is key: But sustaining that momentum requires modern infrastructure. Streeter underscored the urgency of Congress reauthorizing surface transportation funding when it revisits the issue in December, warning that lawmakers have already kicked the can down the road.

• “Manufacturers are very concerned about making sure that we get that funding because we’re in a race,” she said. “We are in a race globally, and infrastructure is at the core of that.”
• Manufacturers face $40 billion in annual costs due to port and highway congestion, she noted. “That’s a lot of money … just to move goods and services.”

And permitting reform: Streeter also made the case for permitting reform, citing NAM research showing that America’s broken permitting system is costing manufacturers nearly $8 billion annually.

• “If you want to make new investment in this country, if you want to upgrade a piece of infrastructure, you’ve got to have a permit to be able to do that. And our permitting laws right now are very outdated,” Streeter said.
• Streeter also highlighted the NAM’s support for the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, recently introduced in the Senate. “We’re working really, really hard with both sides of the aisle to make sure that we can make that truly happen because it will be a game changer for manufacturers,” she said.

The last word: “You cannot build, you cannot grow, you cannot invest if you don’t have all of these pieces tied together,” Streeter concluded.

• “Tax, just like infrastructure … and permitting, they’re all fundamental foundational pieces of what manufacturers need to succeed here in America.”