Policy and Legal

To support the work of Congress’ Jobs and Economy Task Force, NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons laid out a series of recommendations designed to strengthen manufacturers’ competitiveness and the economy as a whole.

Supporting innovation: NAM opposes a new provision in the tax code that makes research and development expenses deductible over a period of years, rather than in the same year they are incurred. This change makes R&D more expensive in the US, threatening American innovation as well as manufacturing jobs that are directly or indirectly supported by R&D.

Financing growth: Timmons outlined NAM’s support for reversing the stricter interest deductibility limitation that went into effect this year. “The stricter limitation essentially acts as a tax on investment and makes the U.S. a global outlier,” said Timmons. “Permanently reversing this harmful change will help support future long-term job-creating investments.”

Protecting a level playing field: Timmons urged Congress to prevent several scheduled tax changes to the international tax regime from going into effect. He wrote, “Congress should ensure that manufacturers do not face a harsher tax regime than the rest of the world as it would disadvantage manufacturers and manufacturing workers in the US.”

Ensuring access to capital: Since manufacturing is a capital-intensive industry that requires significant investments in equipment, facilities and R&D, NAM encourages the federal government to help, rather than hinder, access to capital. Timmons urged the government to enable capital formation by publicly traded companies, avoids imposing undue restrictions on pro-competitive mergers and acquisitions, and provides support for small and medium sized manufacturers.

Other recommendations: Timmons further encouraged Congress to strengthen, streamline, and codify the regulatory system to improve regulatory outcomes and efficiency, improve workforce development by updating the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, and bolster supply chain resiliency through the creation of a federal fund that provides grants, loans, and loan guarantees.

The last word: “At this time of high inflation, snarled supply chains, workforce shortages and global instability, manufacturers need every available tool to continue driving economic growth and job creation in the United States,” said Timmons. “As has been abundantly clear in recent years, manufacturing in America is critical not just to our economic health but to public health—to our very lives and livelihoods.”

• “The decisions policymakers make today will determine whether manufacturing in the United States—and therefore the entire American economy—will remain an engine of growth and opportunity. Manufacturers’ policy agenda provides a solid path forward.”

Read more: For more of the NAM’s policy agenda, check out Competing to Win.