Tax

Washington, D.C. – Following the announcement of the budget resolution introduced today, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons issued this statement.

“Budget resolutions are a statement of principles from the majority party and the beginning of a lengthy process. And while leaders may seek to achieve many laudable goals through this process, manufacturers have serious concerns that some of the proposals—chiefly, the possibility of rolling back job-creating tax reforms to meet the tax increase revenue projections—would be devastating for America’s manufacturing workers.

“The primary goal here should be building an opportunity society, in which all Americans can pursue their dreams. It needs to create good jobs and maintain a strong social safety net. That means upholding the values that have long made America exceptional—free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.

“Returning to the archaic tax policies of the past, however, does not foster an opportunity society. It will stifle job creation in America. It would restrain America’s job creators from continuing to lead our economic recovery—including the manufacturers who have worked tirelessly to support our country through the pandemic. As many as 1 million American jobs would be lost in just the first two years if these kinds of tax policies were adopted, depriving Americans of rewarding career opportunities. The goal of our nation’s leaders should be to make the tax code more competitive, not less. Manufacturers kept their promises after the 2017 tax reform law. 2018 was the best year for manufacturing job creation in more than two decades. Wages soared, and manufacturers invested in their people and communities. Why would anyone want to undo that progress?

“Manufacturers are also concerned by indications there will be efforts and proposals that would restrict the ability of lifesaving pharmaceutical manufacturers to drive innovation in the United States. And we would also oppose attempts that have been mentioned to impose the anti-worker PRO Act because such actions would harm the productive relationship that so many manufacturing workers and employers have cultivated. They would rob many of their right to work, deny them the ability to communicate freely, invade their privacy and even force them to pay union dues.

“This is not how we build an economy that works for everyone. This is how we short-circuit an economic recovery and give other countries a competitive edge. The bipartisan infrastructure bill would be a giant step forward for our country, but a successful effort to roll back tax reforms would be a bigger step backward.

“Many Americans feel left behind today. Some feel left behind amid the pandemic-induced economic turmoil, others because they sensed the system didn’t work for them even before the pandemic. Lawmakers must continue working to lift up all Americans and build a true opportunity society. In the judgment of manufacturers in America, this resolution and the stated intentions of those who are drafting it do not achieve that worthy objective.”

Background on the manufacturing sector under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:

• Between the enactment of tax reform and the start of COVID-19, the manufacturing industry saw jobs, wages and investments surge.
  • 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.

Earlier this year, the NAM released a major tax study on the effects of proposed tax increases. That study found that 1 million jobs would be lost in just the first two years if those increases were to be implemented.

-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 12.3 million men and women, contributes $2.35 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