Input Stories

As part of the NAM’s national campaign to secure essential infrastructure legislation, we have been speaking with members of Congress about their legislative priorities. This week, we spoke with Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC) about his work promoting surface transportation reauthorization and its importance for his district.

The near term: Rep. Rouzer emphasized the importance of the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill, which will “achieve more timely project delivery, improved roadway safety and the strengthening of formula funding. …”

• “In my home state of North Carolina, and across the country, bottlenecks result in delay and additional costs for families, businesses and workers alike,” he continued. “That’s why I’m focused on commonsense permitting reform, better project delivery and giving states the funding certainty and flexibility they need to address their most pressing infrastructure challenges.”

The urgency: Rep. Rouzer noted that the current surface transportation law expires on Sept. 30. Passing it on time will provide “funding certainty” to states as they plan infrastructure projects, he said.

• In addition, “Congress has the responsibility to pass a strong, multiyear reauthorization bill to keep projects moving, ensure the sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars and strengthen the reliability of America’s transportation system.”

In North Carolina: When asked about the benefits of the bill for his constituents, Rep. Rouzer said that “Southeastern North Carolina depends on safe, efficient transportation to support its ports, coastal economy and the daily movement of people and goods to and from manufacturing hubs across the region…”

• “Good infrastructure also improves quality of life. Whether one is commuting to work, traveling between counties, getting supplies to a job site or evacuating during a hurricane, dependable roads and bridges matter,” he added.

Why the NAM matters: Rep. Rouzer concluded by emphasizing the importance of the NAM’s advocacy, in response to a question about the association’s role in helping get this bill passed. “The National Association of Manufacturers plays an important role by helping connect infrastructure policy to real-world needs of the economy,” he said.

• “I appreciate the NAM’s engagement to ensure all members of Congress understand the importance of a good and timely surface reauthorization bill that benefits their districts and the country as a whole. I look forward to our continued work together to achieve this.”

What’s going on: Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) last week unveiled the Unlock American Energy and Jobs Act, legislation that seeks to speed up the federal permitting process.

• “Today, more than 650 projects are currently listed on the federal Permitting Dashboard,” according to a news release from Sen. McCormick’s office. “Construction costs run 24–30% higher when projects are held up.”
• Permitting reform is a longtime NAM advocacy issue, and manufacturers have worked hand in hand with Congress to advance measures that will make building critical infrastructure in the U.S. easier, faster and less costly.

Why it’s important: The senator’s office cited a joint NAM–Foundation for American Innovation report that found “nearly 51% of manufacturers say permitting uncertainty discourages them from investing in new or expanded U.S. capacity, while nearly 66% say they would invest more if the process were faster and more predictable.”

What’s in it: The Unlock American Energy and Jobs Act aims to address four “chokepoints”:

• Clean Water Act reform
• Liquefied natural gas export deregulation
• Nuclear licensing modernization
• National Environmental Policy Act litigation reform

Our view: “Permitting reform is essential to America’s manufacturing competitiveness—and today’s broken system is costing manufacturers more than $8 billion each year,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons.

• “We are grateful for Sen. McCormick’s leadership in introducing the Unlock American Energy and Jobs Act. Modernizing the Clean Water Act, reforming judicial review under NEPA for all projects, ensuring durable support for U.S. LNG exports and bringing new nuclear power online are all critical steps toward a policy framework that will drive investment, power growth and keep manufacturing strong in America for decades to come.”

North Carolina and Texas are set to land major new manufacturing investments as chipmaker NVIDIA and glassmaker Corning expand U.S. production of critical AI infrastructure components—moves expected to create thousands of manufacturing jobs.

What’s going on: NVIDIA and Corning are partnering to build three advanced manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Texas focused on optical connectivity technologies critical to AI infrastructure. The technologies use high-performance optical fiber that moves data to, from and inside AI data servers exponentially faster than copper wires. The expansion is expected to create more than 3,000 manufacturing jobs and increase Corning’s U.S. optical manufacturing capacity tenfold, the companies announced this week (CNBC).

• The announcement reflects the staggering scale of the AI buildout underway—and the increasingly central role manufacturers will play powering it.
• On CNBC’s “Mad Money,” NVIDIA Founder, President and CEO Jensen Huang called AI infrastructure “the single largest infrastructure buildout in human history,” saying the partnership represents an opportunity “to reinvest [and] revitalize American manufacturing for the first time in several generations” while also helping “revitalize the energy grid” (CNBC).
• Corning Chairman and CEO Wendell Weeks framed the effort as part of a broader push to strengthen domestic manufacturing and innovation, saying the partnership is about “inventing the future of computing with advanced optical technologies [and], most importantly, building on the tradition of Made in America.”

AI and jobs: Huang also pushed back against claims that AI will eliminate jobs, arguing the technology is already creating jobs—from chips and packaging to computer manufacturing. “It’s creating tons of jobs at the chips level for the first time.”

• “Every one of those manufacturing jobs creates six other jobs that support them,” Huang said.
• His takeaway: AI is creating jobs. “People who are experts in AI are highly sought after. AI is not going to take your job. Someone who is an expert in AI will compete for your job,” said Huang.
• Weeks compared AI to the rise of the internet, saying, “the [i]nternet was also a significant major changing type of event, but it wasn’t fundamentally about shifting physical infrastructure like AI is,” noting that both were transformational, “which makes people say any transformational technology goes through cycles[…]. I’ve never seen anything like what the world is building for AI infrastructure.”

Looking ahead: Weeks said Corning wants to work with “innovators who help,” adding, “[w]e are technical first [and] they’re great technologists at NVIDIA, and they help us see the future so we can help them make that future be real.”

Washingtonian magazine has named NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons—who also appeared on the cover of this year’s issue—and NAM Executive Vice President Erin Streeter as among the most influential people in Washington, D.C., in 2026 (Washingtonian). 

• The closely watched list, released every year, includes advocacy leaders and other experts shaping policy debates in the nation’s capital.

Timmons’ leadership: Washingtonian notes Timmons’ success in leading the NAM’s advocacy for tax reform, securing landmark legislation in 2017 that promoted manufacturing growth across the U.S. Timmons answered questions for the magazine article:

• First jobs: “Taking care of cattle on our farm in Ohio and cleaning bathrooms at a fast-food restaurant.”
• Best career advice he received: “Be authentic.”
• Most cherished possession: “A pothos plant given to my grandparents 70 years ago.”
• A hard-earned lesson early on [in print issue only]: “One early lesson that’s stayed with me is from back home in Chillicothe, Ohio. My grandfather stood in line for six months during the Depression just to get a job in manufacturing because he knew it would provide for his family—that taught me very young that work has purpose beyond the paycheck. It taught me that manufacturing builds opportunity and creates dignity and that belief has shaped everything I’ve done in Washington and at the NAM.”

Streeter’s leadership: Washingtonian also highlighted Streeter’s leadership in securing pro-growth tax policies for manufacturers, including the 2025 law that made permanent many of the measures in the 2017 legislation. Streeter answered her own set of questions:

• Hometown: “Hiawatha, Kansas.”
• Best career advice she ever received: “No job is beneath you.”
• What she’d tell her 18-year-old self: “Surround yourself with people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.”

The manufacturing skilled talent shortage is likely to worsen before it gets better, Manufacturing Institute President Carolyn Lee said at Google and MIT’s recent AI for the Economy Forum in Washington, D.C.

What’s going on: Lee was on the panel “Industry Case Study: AI Adoption in Manufacturing,” moderated by Day 2 Media Founder and CEO Poppy Harlow, to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on manufacturing.

• “[Here’s] the challenge we have in manufacturing on the talent front … by 2033, we’ll need to fill 3.8 million jobs,” Lee said. “Think about all of the [manufacturer investment] announcements that have come. … We think that number is only going to go higher.”
• While AI will help workers do their jobs, Lee continued, “we [will] still need a whole lot of skilled people at the center.”

Critical to growth: While manufacturers were some of the first in AI adoption, there’s been a change of late, Lee told Harlow. Manufacturers now “see that while AI is critical to the growth of their business,” some 82% “are saying that their people don’t have the skills necessary to put it fully to work.”

• “[R]ight now, we aren’t ready,” Lee went on. “We don’t have the change systems in place and the skills and the people in place. … [P]eople are really still at the heart of it.”

How it will help: AI will be instrumental in improving worker safety, Lee said.

• “[I]t will be able to, with vision systems, scan to say, ‘OK, you are too close to this machinery, this swinging distance, this forklift, this [personal protective equipment] isn’t in place, the safety systems are not in place.’”

Part of a trusted culture: Rather than take people’s jobs, as has long been feared, AI will also be able to aid in attracting and retaining workers, Lee said.

• If “you have a trusted culture where then workers can say, ‘Oh, you’re bringing in technology that’s going to make my job better, safer and improved,’ it helps feed [the notion that you’re a desirable employer], and then it will continue to grow.”

Perceptions of manufacturing: Public perceptions of the manufacturing sector have changed for the better since the global pandemic, according to Lee.

• Prior to COVID-19, about 27% of parents said they would encourage their children to pursue careers in manufacturing. That figure is now at 49%, she said.

Parting words: But manufacturing isn’t just one type of career; it has something for everyone.

• “This is my main message when I’m out talking about this,” Lee said. “We need to make sure that people are getting the skills they need for the jobs they want. We need to show them what those paths are.”

Anheuser‑Busch is increasing its investment in U.S. manufacturing to $600 million over two years—including in training centers and partnerships with the Manufacturing Institute (the NAM’s workforce development and education affiliate) (Reuters, subscription).

The training centers: The company will open 15 new technical skills training centers across the U.S. that will upskill current employees.

• The company expects 90% of its manufacturing workforce to benefit from these new training centers over the next five years. Its first best-in-class Technical Excellence Center, which opened in St. Louis in 2022, has served more than 2,700 employees already.

Working with veterans: Anheuser-Busch will also deepen its partnership with the MI on preparing current and former members of the armed services for new, rewarding manufacturing careers, through the MI’s Heroes MAKE America initiative.

• After becoming one of the first companies to adopt the MI’s Manufacturing Readiness Badges in May 2025, the company has “integrated more than 20 total credentials that translate military training into skills required for manufacturing roles within its operations.”
• Anheuser-Busch and the MI are also collaborating on the Heroes MAKE America Talent Network, powered by SmartResume—which makes “military skills and experience visible, verified and easily understood by employers,” according to the company.
• The tool is already embedded in the company’s career site to help veterans through the application process.

Anheuser-Busch says: “By strengthening our manufacturing operations, we are creating sustainable careers—not just jobs—and investing in the people who are vital to our success. We are proud to continue building the next generation of manufacturing leaders through our new technical training centers while also providing new opportunities in the workforce for our nation’s veterans,” said Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth.

The MI says: “Anheuser-Busch’s investment is exactly the kind of leadership American manufacturing needs right now,” said MI President Carolyn Lee.

• “By expanding training, strengthening career pathways, and investing in veterans through the MI’s Heroes MAKE America initiative, they are not only building a more skilled workforce—they are creating real opportunity in communities across the country. This commitment reflects a clear understanding that the future of manufacturing depends on people, and on giving them the tools to succeed.”

The NAM says: “By partnering with the Manufacturing Institute, Anheuser-Busch is powering a new generation of opportunity for the world’s finest workforce—the manufacturing workforce,” said NAM President and CEO and MI Chair of the Board Jay Timmons.

• “These local technical skills training centers and partnerships with trade schools will transform careers and enable the manufacturing workforce of today and tomorrow to develop the critical skills they need to build life-changing careers, grow our economy and shape American communities.”

At the 2026 STEP Ahead Awards, manufacturing’s most inspiring leaders took center stage to celebrate their achievements and the pathways they are creating for the next generation.

A night to remember: The event, held Thursday night at the Washington, D.C., waterfront concert venue The Anthem, is held annually by the Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate. It honors exceptional leaders in the manufacturing industry who were nominated by their peers: 100 leaders (“Honorees”), 30 rising stars (“Emerging Leaders”) and 15 allies (“Champions”).

• The names of the 145 awardees at the gala—sponsored by Biogen, AstraZeneca, BASF and Johnson & Johnson, among others—were announced in March.
• The awards, now in their 14th year, are part of the MI’s STEP Ahead program, which helps individuals build successful careers in manufacturing while strengthening the industry’s future through leadership development, mentorship and community building.
• By celebrating the awardees’ stories, the MI helps shape perceptions of the industry and showcase the wide array of talent that powers it.

The program: The elegant evening featured a live performance by Brass Queens, a female-led brass band with New Orleans–inspired sound. It also included remarks by NAM President and CEO and MI Chair of the Board Jay Timmons, MI President Carolyn Lee and the chair and vice chair of the awards. 

Champions of change: Timmons highlighted the significant impact of the awardees being celebrated—especially the 15 Champions.

• “These leaders change cultures. They shift systems. They make their entire teams better—and in turn, strengthen manufacturing in the United States and around the globe,” said Timmons.
• The Champion Award, which was first given in 2025, recognizes individuals for their visible, proactive allyship and for fostering supportive workplaces in manufacturing.

Learning and connecting: The gala was preceded by two days of leadership programming for the awardees. This conference focused on strengthening essential skills, from emotional intelligence and communication to navigating change and career growth.

• In addition, at a hands-on service event sponsored by L’Oreal, the awardees assembled personal hygiene care packages for residents at a D.C. nonprofit.

Stories that spark change: Biogen Executive Vice President and Head of Pharmaceutical Operations & Technology Nicole Murphy, the 2026 STEP Ahead Gala chair, reflected on the ripple effect of recognition on the future of the industry.

• As one example, she mentioned James Phillips, a 30-year employee and leader at Biogen. He helped build facilities, trained teams and launched a new plant in Switzerland during a global pandemic, mentoring a generation of plant leaders along the way.
• “Every story we tell here tonight changes who can see themselves in manufacturing. Every person we honor is a role model for someone who hasn’t walked through the door yet. Every individual in this room is helping to build an industry where talent doesn’t just arrive—it stays. It grows. It advances. And it changes the world,” said Murphy.

The last word: “The extraordinary people we celebrate tonight—they reached higher inside organizations that gave them room to lead. Companies with cultures that believed in them, invested in them and made their work possible,” said Lee. “My call to every employer here is simple. Let’s do more of this work. Let’s lift up more of our workforce. Support it. Recognize it. Reward it. Create the conditions that make it possible. That’s how you produce role models like the ones in this room.”

Congress should continue funding the federal ENERGY STAR program in fiscal year 2027 at FY2026 levels, 30 business groups including the NAM said this week.

What’s going on: “Explicit ENERGY STAR funding should again be included in the text of appropriations legislation,” the multi-industry coalition told House and Senate leadership on Tuesday, urging lawmakers to include in the FY2027 spending bill “key elements” achieved in the 2026 measure.

• “For [FY2027], the amount should consolidate past funding ($33M – $36M) expressly given to the Environmental Protection Agency, plus amounts used by the Department of Energy historically to run its portion of the program,” the coalition said.
• Leadership of ENERGY STAR, a voluntary program that promotes energy efficiency in consumer products, was redesignated last month from the EPA to the DOE. The coalition supported the move.
• In January, following steady NAM advocacy, Congress approved legislation to fully fund the program at $33 million for FY2026.

Why it’s important: “This public–private partnership drives the critical bipartisan objective of energy affordability,” the coalition said, citing the more than $500 billion in energy costs that, since its founding in 1992, the program has helped U.S. families and businesses save.

• “In 2020 alone, ENERGY STAR saved the equivalent of approximately 47 million homes’ energy use for a year. Considering the $33 million appropriated for ENERGY STAR in the very text of the [FY2026] spending bill (H.R. 6938), taxpayers receive a tremendous return on their investment for this program.”

The final say: Continuing FY2027 appropriations for ENERGY STAR also aligns with the administration’s broader goals, the groups said.

• “Lowering costs through efficiency … supports broader competitiveness goals, including strengthening national defense, leading the world in AI and ensuring U.S. energy dominance.”

At the recent “Super Bowl of the energy industry,” otherwise known as CERAWeek by S&P Global, the NAM was on the ground with manufacturing leaders, policymakers and the media—reinforcing the need for energy abundance and permitting reform to power American growth. NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons made the rounds with reporters and energy podcasts to make the case.

“Hello Houston” talk show: Timmons spoke with Houston Public Media’s “Hello Houston” program to highlight the challenges manufacturers face because of America’s broken permitting process.

• “Right now in the United States, it takes 80% longer to get a permit authorized for a project like a manufacturing facility than it does in any other free market economy,” said Timmons. “It doesn’t make sense for a country that frankly does a lot of good things and does it right.”
• “What we’re seeing are Democrats and Republicans and the White House rally around this effort to reform our permitting process to make it more predictable, take away the duplicity and the duplication, shorten the time that legal challenges can occur and just give more predictability to companies that are trying to do the right thing.”

POLITICO: Timmons put permitting reform front and center when talking to the media, telling POLITICO that “permitting reform will bring certainty to energy projects of all types, and help avoid the swinging of the political pendulum that occurs every two to four years in this country,” (POLITICO’s E&E News, subscription).

“Energy Trade Show” podcast: On the OGGN’s “Energy Trade Show”—the world’s leading oil, gas and energy podcast network—Timmons discussed workforce policy, AI’s upside for manufacturers and permitting reform.

• About energy abundance, he said, “[Manufacturers] use a third of the nation’s energy; it’s a major cost input for [NAM] members. They want to know that we’re here looking out for their interests and ensuring that the policies are being put in place to develop more energy product here in this country—and make sure that we’re focused on the things that will make that happen.”
• Timmons explained the connection between AI, energy policy and workforce efforts, saying that one challenge in the AI rollout “is the energy that’s necessary to power those data centers … [and] once we are able to produce the energy, we actually have to transmit that energy to where it needs to go.” Secondly, he added, “[W]e have an obligation to train our future workforce on how to utilize AI most effectively so that we can increase productivity and efficiency here in this country.”

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and several members of Congress visited the Ohio facilities of First Solar and Whirlpool last Friday during a tour of manufacturing plants.

Manufacturers’ strength: Following the visit, Greer joined CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” from First Solar’s R&D and manufacturing campus, spotlighting the manufacturers he toured while emphasizing the importance of building up the sector in the U.S.

• “We need people making stuff,” he said. “We need making it here… [W]hen you lose manufacturing, you lose a lot of the economic security you have from having supply chains right here in America.”
• “So we do want these jobs, we want them in these communities. A factory like [First Solar’s] underpins not only the local economy but the families of the people who work here. So obviously we have to have these kinds of jobs.
• “[For] most OECD countries, manufacturing is about 16% of their GDP. In America, [it] is 10%, and that’s too low.”

Rep. Latta says: Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), who attended the tour, said, “When companies like First Solar and Whirlpool invest in expanding American manufacturing, they create good-paying jobs, strengthen our supply chain resilience and help keep our nation competitive in Ohio and across the country.”

News coverage: POLITICO and its Morning Trade newsletter (both subscription) covered the visits.