Energy

Washington, D.C. – Following consideration today of a permitting amendment in the U.S. Senate, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“Red tape and permitting delays have plagued the manufacturing industry for decades, and the need for reform has only grown more urgent in recent years. Manufacturers have long called for Congress to repair the broken permitting process to minimize delays and reduce needless litigation that stands in the way of energy and resources projects and other investments. That will ensure we can get to work quickly on the investments that the bipartisan infrastructure law and the CHIPS and Science Act make possible. It will also ensure manufacturers have access to reliable and affordable energy while the grid evolves and as we work to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases.

“Ultimately, permitting reform effects every part of the American supply chain—from modernizing energy projects to building new manufacturing facilities. Today’s Senate vote, while unsuccessful, should serve as a step toward true bipartisan reform. Manufacturers appreciate the efforts of Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito to push this priority forward, and we will continue to work with both chambers to achieve this goal.”

-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 accounts for 55% 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.

Though some midterm races remain uncalled, the NAM is preparing the next phase of its competitiveness agenda. Last Thursday, it offered members a breakdown of the election results so far and what they mean for manufacturing policies and priorities in the United States.

The briefing: Hosted by NAM Vice President of Government Relations Jordan Stoick, the conversation provided members with an overview of the NAM’s key issue areas, presented by several of the NAM’s policy experts.

• Tax: According to NAM Managing Vice President of Tax and Domestic Economic Policy Chris Netram, the NAM is pushing Congress to approve key tax incentives for manufacturers in a year-end package, including the reversal of a harmful change in the treatment of R&D expenses that took effect earlier this year and an extension of 100% bonus depreciation. Beyond the lame-duck session, the NAM will be fighting to make tax reform permanent, he added.

• Trade: According to NAM Vice President of International Economic Affairs Policy Ken Monahan, the NAM will be advocating reauthorization of the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill. Going forward, priorities will include guarding against the TRIPS waiver at the World Trade Organization (which would harm manufacturers’ intellectual property rights), defusing regulatory and market access challenges in Mexico and promoting a robust market-opening agenda overall.

• Energy: NAM Vice President of Energy and Resources Policy Rachel Jones said energy security is likely to remain a key focus of policymakers. She highlighted permitting reform as a possible area for bipartisan progress and noted that implementation of new climate incentives and programs will likely come with heightened oversight from the new Congress next year.

• Infrastructure: NAM Vice President of Infrastructure, Innovation and Human Resources Policy Robyn Boerstling noted that supply chain challenges are the most difficult issue facing manufacturers at the moment. She also provided an update on rail negotiations, addressed the National Labor Relations Board’s robust pro-labor agenda and spoke out in favor of the NAM’s commonsense immigration approach, among other issues.

The outlook: “The good news is that regardless of the outcome, the NAM remains uniquely positioned to continue to effectively advocate on your behalf with the Biden administration and with both parties, whoever’s in control on Capitol Hill,” said Stoick.

• “We’ve worked successfully with the administration and the current Congress over the past two years to achieve important policy wins on things like infrastructure and the CHIPS semiconductor and competition bill. And we’ve been successful at pushing back on harmful policies and overreach, including stopping what should be considered some of the worst parts of the tax increases that were proposed over the past two years.”

As the world’s leading energy producer, the U.S. is poised for long-term energy independence and competitiveness in the global marketplace—but only with the right policies in place.

The right recipe: That’s the theme of the NAM’s energy and natural resources advocacy in its policy blueprint, “Competing to Win,” and it’s the recipe for continued success for all manufacturers in the U.S.

• Manufacturers lead the way in finding new means of harnessing our abundant sources of energy, but to make long-term investments and continue to innovate, policymakers should draw up and stand by a comprehensive framework for a secure energy future.

Keep us competitive: The NAM calls on legislators to take specific actions to keep energy manufacturing in the U.S. competitive. These include:

• Streamlining regulations that slow access to our rich supply of energy, minerals and other natural resources;
• Expediting the regulatory and legal processes involved in developing clean energy technologies and promoting energy and energy technology trade;
• Fixing the broken permitting process for energy production and infrastructure projects;
• Promoting access to federal lands and waters for environmentally responsible mineral, energy and resource exploration;
• Supporting measures to enhance development and deployment of energy-efficient technologies;
• Backing domestic critical mineral extraction, recycling and processing; and
• Expanding the useful life of critical minerals components using federal programs and funds.

Focus on the environment: Energy produced in the U.S. is cleaner and more responsibly sourced than energy produced in other nations.

• When U.S. policies fail to encourage production here at home, they encourage production in other parts of the world, where there is far greater adverse impact to the environment.

Security through innovation: Sound, thorough and competition-focused energy policy will give energy manufacturers in the U.S. the stability they need to invest for the long term.

• Innovation, energy security and greater affordability—not just for the U.S., but for other countries as well—will follow.

The last word: “The future of the manufacturing industry and our country’s resource security rely on clarity and certainty from policymakers that strengthens our competitiveness,” said NAM Vice President of Energy and Resources Policy Rachel Jones.

• “With a renewed commitment to increasing domestic energy production and delivery, to focusing on critical mineral and material supply chains and to advancing new technologies, the United States can continue to lead the world for decades to come.”

Washington, D.C. – Following President Biden’s call for a windfall tax on America’s energy producers, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“Raising taxes on American energy manufacturers is dangerous and destructive for the American people and the manufacturers who depend on access to reliable energy. It would disrupt domestic supply at a time of severe geopolitical uncertainty. Indeed, history has shown that this is a failed policy that could lead to more imports and even higher prices.

“Manufacturers have provided real solutions and specific recommendations for improving energy security and taking an all-of-the-above approach to developing all forms of American energy. Manufacturers will continue doing everything in our power to be part of the solution, and we hope our elected officials will too.”

-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 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.

Washington, D.C. – Ahead of the midterm elections, the National Association of Manufacturers released its policy roadmap, “Competing to Win,” a comprehensive blueprint featuring immediate solutions for bolstering manufacturers’ competitiveness. It is also a roadmap for policymakers on the laws and regulations needed to strengthen the manufacturing industry in the months and years ahead.

With the country facing rising prices, snarled supply chains and geopolitical turmoil, manufacturers are outlining an actionable competitiveness agenda that Americans across the political spectrum can support. “Competing to Win” includes the policies manufacturers in America will need in place to continue driving the country forward.

“‘Competing to Win’ offers a path for bringing our country together around policies, shared values and a unified purpose,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “The NAM is putting forward a plan filled with ideas that policymakers could pursue immediately, including solutions to urgent problems, such as energy security, immigration reform, supply chain disruptions, the ongoing workforce shortage and more. Manufacturers have shown incredible resilience through difficult times, employing more workers now than before the pandemic, but continued resilience is not guaranteed without the policies that are critical to the state of manufacturing in America.”

The NAM and its members will leverage “Competing to Win” to shape policy debates ahead of the midterm elections, in the remainder of the 117th Congress and at the start of the 118th Congress—including in direct engagement with lawmakers, for grassroots activity, across traditional and digital media and through events in key states and districts as we did following the initial rollout of the roadmap in 2016.

The document focuses on 12 areas of action, and all policies are rooted in the values that have made America exceptional and keep manufacturing strong: free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.

Learn more about how manufacturers are leading and about the industry’s competitiveness agenda at nam.org/competing-to-win.

-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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.77 trillion to the U.S. economy annually 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

Washington, D.C. – Following news of a potential reconciliation agreement among Senate Democrats, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“This proposal is nothing more than a repackaging of the same bad ideas with a new name slapped on it. It is especially harmful because it will undermine manufacturers’ competitiveness at a time when the industry is reeling from supply chain disruptions and record inflation. Manufacturers kept our promises after the 2017 tax reforms, hiring more workers, investing in our communities and raising wages and benefits. Raising taxes now will hurt manufacturers’ ability to keep delivering for our people and mean fewer opportunities for Americans already worried about their financial future.

“Government price controls on pharmaceutical manufacturers are no less destructive. They will weaken our ongoing work to develop lifesaving cures to complex diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s and harm our responses to health crises. It’s bad for Americans’ health. It’s wrong for our economy.

“While the language purportedly calls for comprehensive permitting reform to be passed by the end of the fiscal year, there is nothing that prohibits Congress from doing exactly that right now. Any member of Congress who is voting for the bill based solely on that language should not do so and should instead push to have a standalone bill considered.

“Lawmakers who support manufacturing in America should oppose this reconciliation bill. It will make manufacturing less competitive and America economically weaker.”

-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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.77 trillion to the U.S. economy annually 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.

Washington, D.C. – Following the Supreme Court’s 6–3 decision in West Virginia vs. EPA, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“Manufacturers share a deep commitment to protecting our planet and our people, and manufacturing innovation holds the key to solving the generational challenge of climate change. The court’s decision affirms the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to issue appropriate greenhouse gas regulations while providing a reminder that the agency must stay within the guardrails delegated by Congress. As some of the largest electricity consumers and as electricity generators, manufacturers are ready to work with the EPA to deliver innovative and balanced solutions that protect our environment and our competitiveness as it considers next steps.”

Background: Earlier this week, the NAM along with 42 state partners sent President Biden a letter highlighting the importance of affordable, reliable electricity for manufacturers to remain competitive. It signals manufacturers’ eagerness to work with policymakers on the important decisions and planning surrounding the future of the electrical grid and broader energy policy.

-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 12.7 million men and women, contributes $2.71 trillion to the U.S. economy annually 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

Washington, D.C. – Following the decision by President Biden to instruct Congress to suspend federal gasoline and diesel taxes for three months, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“Our nation achieved historic progress with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but this move is likely to derail its implementation by suddenly disrupting its funding, delaying critical projects that Americans desperately need and that are vital to manufacturers’ competitiveness. Our focus should be on increasing energy production here at home—to make manufacturers more competitive, to bring energy and gasoline prices down and to provide lasting relief for American families. We need the same smart, long-term approach that inspired the infrastructure bill to solve today’s energy challenges.

“Since the beginning of this administration, we have provided specific solutions and recommendations for improving energy security and taking an all-of-the-above approach: restarting and expanding oil and gas leasing on federal lands, prioritizing funding and expediting permitting for traditional and emerging energy options, expanding critical mineral mining and processing, strengthening and diversifying clean energy supply chains, promoting regulatory predictability by refraining from revising air standards until previous ones are met, upholding the infrastructure law’s One Federal Decision policy and more. We would be in a better position now if these and other actions had already been taken, and the need to act has only grown more urgent. Manufacturers will continue doing everything in our power to be part of the solution.”

-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 12.7 million men and women, contributes $2.71 trillion to the U.S. economy annually 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.

As the Securities and Exchange Commission considers a prescriptive rule that imposes significant and burdensome climate-related disclosure obligations on public companies, the NAM is pushing back. It is fighting for critical changes that will support manufacturers’ leadership on climate change.

The background: Manufacturers have long been leaders on climate solutions, working to create the technologies and processes needed to combat climate change while also providing material information about their climate-related efforts to investors.

• But a recent rule proposed by the SEC would mandate that companies, large and small, report reams of complex climate-related information, even when that information may not have any impact on their financial performance or operations.

The rule: The proposed rule, which the SEC released in March, would require qualitative descriptions of companies’ climate-related risks and strategies as well as quantitative reporting of their greenhouse gas emissions and any climate-related impacts on their financial statements.

• The result would be an unworkable framework that does not align with current practices—imposing an enormous burden on manufacturers across the country.
• Additional information can be found about the rule here and about the NAM’s engagement with the SEC on climate disclosures here.

The response: The NAM has laid out a series of necessary changes that the SEC must make to reduce the compliance costs and liability risks associated with the rule’s requirements. Our recommendations will align the rule more closely with current climate reporting practices—decreasing burdens on public companies and increasing information utility for investors. Specifically, the NAM is calling on the SEC to:

• Delay annual GHG emissions reporting, granting manufacturers time to collect and verify data for a midyear report (rather than the proposed February deadline).
• Strike disclosure of Scope 3 emissions, which requires tracking emissions data through the supply chain. While some manufacturers are already working to understand these emissions, the data collection, estimation and reporting methodologies are still evolving. At a minimum, the SEC should provide more flexibility for companies subject to the Scope 3 requirement.
• Rescind accounting changes that would require climate impact analyses of companies’ consolidated financial statements on a line-by-line basis.
• Adjust the climate-related risk disclosures and Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reporting requirements to make the provisions less prescriptive and more aligned with existing company practices.
• Fine-tune the guidelines for reporting on climate-related goals to avoid penalizing companies that set ambitious targets.
• Remove requirements that companies disclose competitively sensitive information about the internal tools they use to understand and plan for climate risks, scenarios and activities.

The last word: “The SEC’s climate rule as written would be harmful for both large and small manufacturers and unhelpful for investors,” said NAM Senior Director of Tax and Domestic Economic Policy Charles Crain. “The NAM is committed to supporting our members in their efforts to combat climate change and inform investors about this critical work, and the recommendations we’ve offered present an important step toward that goal.”

Watch: NAM President & CEO Jay Timmons joined CNBC to discuss the impact of the proposed rule.

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers Chief Legal Officer Linda Kelly issued the following statement in response to California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s announcement of an investigation into fossil fuel and petrochemical industries:

“Not every societal problem demands a state attorney general investigation or adversarial legal process. In fact, anyone who understands the manufacturing sector would know that we are the solution here. Manufacturers are pioneering the technologies, processes and products, including advanced recycling, that are needed to protect our environment, improve sustainability and move toward a circular economy.

“Plastics play a vital role in modern life and improving quality of life. Solutions to waste issues require collaboration with government, consumers and manufacturers. Manufacturers are ready to be collaborative partners with anyone who shares our commitment to a healthier environment.”

-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 12.5 million men and women, contributes $2.71 trillion to the U.S. economy annually 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.