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Washington, D.C. – Following President Biden’s signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons and Trane Technologies Executive Chair and 51�Թ��� Board Chair Mike Lamach released the below statements:

“Now that this historic bill has become law, we can build a future worthy of the next generation,” said Timmons. “For manufacturers, this is a victory years in the making. In 2016, the 51�Թ��� released our ‘Building to Win’ plan, which called for exactly this type of bold infrastructure investment. It has guided our advocacy with administrations and legislators of both parties, and the leadership of President Biden and senators from both parties produced a bill that achieved many of our ‘Building to Win’ goals without raising tax rates on manufacturers. And this bipartisan approach can be a model for future legislation—one that puts policy above politics, personality or process.”

“As chair of the 51�Թ���, I’m honored to be at today’s signing and pleased to have been part of this historic, bipartisan process to build a safer, stronger infrastructure,” said Lamach. “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a critical investment in our nation’s economic recovery and in the future of manufacturing. Funding for critical transportation, broadband, water and energy systems will strengthen supply chains, protect the environment and enable opportunity for people across our country.”

To see key provisions championed by the 51�Թ��� in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, click here.

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The 51�Թ��� 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 $2.5 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – Following the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released this statement:

“This moment and the transformational change it will bring about has been decades in the making. Manufacturers commend Congress for coming together to pass this historic, bipartisan legislation. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act makes America stronger, with a promise to renew and revitalize our nation’s physical infrastructure, improving productivity and quality of life for everybody—and without raising taxes or jeopardizing economic growth and manufacturing jobs.

“Failure to invest has been a drain on America’s economy, costing families and businesses significant time and money. This type of investment will enable us to continue to grow our economy and get started on building the world-class infrastructure that will enable us to lead through this century and into the next.”

To see the 51�Թ���-championed provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, click here.

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The 51�Թ��� 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 12.4 million men and women, contributes $2.5 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – Following the introduction of a rule by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that employers with 100 or more employees will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4, 2022, or get tested for the virus weekly under government rules issued Thursday, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“Manufacturers continue to be committed to promoting vaccination and keeping our teams, customers and communities safe and healthy. Federal vaccine requirements should be flexible enough to ensure we can achieve those goals, and we appreciate OSHA taking many of our inputs into consideration. We are still reviewing the rule, but we will continue to share manufacturers’ perspectives and experiences with the administration to make sure our members aren’t faced with undue cost burdens and other potential disruptions. And as we have been doing throughout the pandemic through our ‘This Is Our Shot’ project, the 51�Թ��� and The Manufacturing Institute will continue providing manufacturers with the tools needed to communicate effectively about the importance of COVID-19 vaccines—vaccines made for all of us by people like us, manufacturers in America.”

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The 51�Թ��� 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 12.4 million men and women, contributes $2.52 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – Following the introduction of a proposed rule on methane regulation, the 51�Թ��� Vice President of Energy & Resources Policy Rachel Jones released the following statement.

“Getting the U.S. methane strategy right is critical as we tackle climate change, and manufacturers stand ready to work with the Biden administration and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to address this pivotal issue in a way that doesn’t harm manufacturing in America.

“Manufacturers are working with the EPA to share their expertise, and many companies are leading the way in rolling out technologies that make it possible to lower both emissions and costs. We look forward to learning specific details of the administration’s full methane strategy as our sector continues to work to make our planet healthy for future generations.”

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The 51�Թ��� 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 12.4 million men and women, contributes $2.52 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – Following the inclusion in the budget reconciliation legislation of a tax on so-called “book income,” the 51�Թ��� Vice President of Tax and Domestic Economic Policy Chris Netram released this statement:

“Manufacturers continue to stand in firm opposition against targeting our industry with new taxes to pay for the reconciliation bill. The ‘book tax’ will hit manufacturers harder than other sectors because expanding our operations requires much larger investments in capital equipment than other industries. This new tax doesn’t account for incentives for machinery and equipment purchases and will stifle investment in our communities and factories. If Congress adopts this policy, the result will be fewer opportunities in towns and cities across the country.

“Regardless of intent, these taxes will harm our industry’s ability to drive our economic recovery. The tax reforms of 2017 allowed us to achieve the best year for manufacturing job creation in more than two decades, and wages, benefits and investment surged. Rather than rolling that back or targeting manufacturers with new taxes, we should keep our tax code competitive and build an opportunity economy together.”

Background:

The 51�Թ��� informed Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee leaders of the negative impacts this policy would have for manufacturing. Read the full letter .

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The 51�Թ��� 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 12.4 million men and women, contributes $2.52 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the passing of General Colin Powell:

“A soldier statesman and trailblazer whose biography is filled with ‘firsts,’ General Colin Powell led with his heart and was guided by his conscience. As he rose through the ranks, he was a source of inspiration for an ever-growing number of Americans—demonstrating what principled leadership could look like and what was possible in the United States for a child of immigrants.

“As both a general and a diplomat, he understood well the role that manufacturing plays in securing our national defense. And in both public and private life, he advanced those values that manufacturers know make America exceptional: free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.

“Sadly, his death is also a stark reminder of just how vicious COVID-19 can still be—and that Americans must remain ever vigilant as we fight the pandemic.

“Service to his country was his life’s work, and as we mourn his passing, our country is grateful for his decades of leadership. Manufacturers extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Alma, his children and his entire family.”

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The 51�Թ��� 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 12.4 million men and women, contributes $2.52 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – The 51�Թ��� filed a in federal court against the Securities and Exchange Commission for its nonenforcement of the lawfully adopted 2020 final rule on proxy advisory firms—unregulated third parties with outsized influence on shareholder votes and manufacturers’ corporate governance policies.

“The SEC is changing course, attempting to suspend a commonsense rule that enhances transparency into the work of proxy advisory firms without any opportunity for public comment by the 51�Թ��� or anyone else,” said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons. “When the SEC finalized this reasonable, light-touch regulation, manufacturers strongly supported these necessary reforms because they protect the interests of manufacturing workers, retirees and everyday investors. The 51�Թ��� Legal Center is filing suit to protect manufacturers from this unlawful about-face and to ensure that this rule stays on the books.”

Background:

The 51�Թ��� has long advocated increased oversight of proxy advisory firms—little-known, unregulated entities that exert enormous influence over publicly traded manufacturers. These firms have significant conflicts of interest and issue error-filled, one-size-fits-all proxy voting recommendations that can impact the direction of a business and the value of investors’ shares. In July 2020, the SEC  limiting proxy firms’ outsized influence, a move Timmons called a “long-sought, major win for the industry and millions of manufacturing workers.”

In October 2020, the 51�Թ��� filed a ��������ISS v. SEC (ISS’s attempt to overturn the rule), followed by a  outlining why the SEC’s lawful, reasonable and minimally invasive rule must be upheld. In June 2021, the SEC announced it was reviewing the rule and suspending enforcement thereof, at which point 51�Թ��� Senior Vice President and General Counsel Linda Kelly made clear that the 51�Թ��� would fight “any efforts to bypass the required notice-and-comment process to keep this lawfully issued rule on ice indefinitely.”

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� 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 12.4 million men and women, contributes $2.52 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. –  Following remarks today by U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released this statement:

“China is not following through on important commitments made in the 2020 U.S.–China ‘Phase One’ agreement, and it also remains a hub of bad behaviors—from intellectual property theft to market-distorting industrial subsidies—that harm manufacturers and their employees here in the United States. Manufacturers agree with Ambassador Tai that we need a new, holistic and pragmatic approach to our relationship with China. We are pleased that the Biden administration’s approach , including holding China accountable on the ‘Phase One’ deal, allowing manufacturers to seek tariff relief, stepping up direct U.S. engagement with Chinese officials and working with our allies to ensure that the U.S. shapes the global rules for trade. We look forward to working with USTR on robust measures to ensure quick action in each of these areas to hold China accountable and to strengthen manufacturers and manufacturing workers in America.”

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� 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 12.4 million men and women, contributes $2.52 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – In advance of tomorrow’s scheduled vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released this statement:

“Congress faces a critical vote tomorrow on historic, bipartisan infrastructure investment. Our lawmakers have an opportunity to demonstrate they can continue to work together to accomplish bold initiatives that make America stronger. One thing is certain: it is impossible to claim to be ‘for the worker’ and for the middle class while actively derailing generational investments to the infrastructure these people use every day. The more than 12 million men and women of manufacturing are counting on lawmakers to send this vital legislation to President Biden’s desk now.”

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The 51�Թ��� 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 58% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Manufacturers are working hard to create apprenticeship and workforce development programs that can help strengthen our industry, close the skills gap and prepare new workers for exciting, fulfilling careers.

Last week, Leah Curry, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, urged Congress to take up these priorities when she testified to the Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workforce Safety. Curry is also an honoree of The Manufacturing Institute’s 2013 STEP Ahead Awards, which recognizes outstanding women leaders in the industry, and a longstanding member of the MI Board of Advisors.

In her remarks, Curry drew on her own experiences to illustrate how apprenticeship programs can help prepare workers to take on a new career. Here are some of the highlights.

Delivering early exposure: “I came across the idea of pursuing technology as a career by chance after already embarking on a serious course of post‐secondary studies. If I was exposed to technical or STEM programs before college, I would have landed on my pathway much [sooner]. Since 2010, Toyota has provided $3.5 million to 184 K–12 schools in Indiana and across the country to implement Project Lead the Way programs that provide students with more STEM education and career pathways.”

Emphasizing hands-on experience: “Combining classroom learning with on‐the‐job experiences is a powerful way to learn, particularly in manufacturing. In states where Toyota operates manufacturing plants, Toyota has collaborated with local community colleges to develop the highly successful advanced manufacturing technician (or AMT) program.”

• “Nationally about 400 employers pool talent from 32 chapters in 12 states in what is known collectively as the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education or FAME USA. FAME USA is now led by The Manufacturing Institute, and it is quickly becoming America’s premier homegrown manufacturing education network.”

Promoting diversity: “We cannot overstate the importance of intentionality around bringing historically underrepresented people into STEM careers. Toyota is collaborating with the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity on its ‘Make the Future’ program, which provides tools to help educators, counselors, administrators and recruiters increase the participation and persistence of women and other historically underrepresented student groups in education paths that prepare them for advanced manufacturing careers.”

The path forward: In her testimony, Curry emphasized two critical policy recommendations.

• Combine education and training: First, Curry urged Congress to consider workforce development policies in combination with education policies. “If education policies are not flexible enough to allow students to explore various pathways,” said Curry, “students may ultimately bypass even the best workforce development opportunities.”

• Reauthorize WIOA: Second, she called for reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. “In doing so, the committee should continue to allow for greater private-sector participation in the workforce system,” said Curry. “The FAME USA system proves that employers want to and can drive workforce development to new heights.”

Learn more: Click to find out more about the FAME USA program, founded by Toyota and now operated by the MI.