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Manufacturers Launch Ad Campaign to Protect American Jobs

Timmons: Now is not the time to take a step back; it’s time to build the next, post-pandemic world, which can only be done with a competitive tax code

Washington, D.C. – Following the release of the National Association of Manufacturers’ study on the impact of proposed tax increases under consideration in Congress, the association is launching a six-figure ad campaign calling on Congress to protect manufacturing jobs. The print, radio and digital ads will run in Washington, D.C., and in key states.

“Corporate tax hikes and other tax reform rollbacks under consideration could lead to 1 million fewer jobs in the first two years alone and would drag down economic growth,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “After the 2017 tax reform delivered more globally competitive tax rates, manufacturers kept our promises to create jobs, raise wages and benefits and invest in our communities. Now is not the time to take a step back; it’s time to build the next, post-pandemic world, which can only be done with a competitive tax code.”

Background:

Key findings from the NAM research paper, “Dynamic Estimates of the Macroeconomic Effects of Tax Rate Increases and Other Tax Policy Changes,” on the impact of proposed tax increases include the following:

  • America would lose 1 million jobs in the first two years after implementation and cause a loss of 600,000 jobs on average each year over the next decade.
  • By 2023, GDP would be down by $117 billion, by $190 billion in 2026 and by $119 billion in 2031.
  • Ordinary capital, or investments in equipment and structures, would be $80 billion less in 2023 and $83 billion and $66 billion less in 2026 and 2031, respectively.

Background on manufacturing growth following the enactment of tax reform in 2017:

  • In 2018, manufacturers added 263,000 new jobs. That was the best year for job creation in manufacturing in 21 years.
  • In 2018, manufacturing wages increased 3% and continued going up—by 2.8% in 2019 and by 3% in 2020. Those were the fastest rates of annual growth since 2003.
  • Manufacturing capital spending grew by 4.5% and 5.7% in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
  • Overall, manufacturing production grew 2.7% in 2018, with December 2018 being the best month for manufacturing output since May 2008.

Read the full study here and click here for a summary of the study’s details and findings.

-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 12.3 million men and women, contributes $2.32 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 63% 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.

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