51�Թ���

Washington, D.C. – Prior to President-elect Joe Biden being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“This is a new day for America. This new administration brings a new commitment to healing our country—healing from the deadly pandemic that has claimed the lives of 400,000 of our fellow Americans and healing from the deep divisions that have torn us apart. President-elect Biden has made it his mission to unify our nation. It was the defining purpose of his campaign—to ‘restore the soul of America.’ Today, manufacturers recommit ourselves to be part of the solution—to be part of the healing process. We invite all Americans to join us in doing the same.

“Joe Biden’s life has been defined by service to his country and devotion to his family. We all know the devastating loss he endured when his wife and daughter were killed just before he took office as a senator and later with the death of his son Beau. Today, as he takes office as our president, our American family is mourning devastating loss, and each day, more of us lose loved ones. It is reassuring to have in the Oval Office a man who has known and overcome great sorrow, a man of strong character and a devoted husband, father and grandfather—because he knows, perhaps better than most, what all who are hurting need in order to heal.

“Our new vice president will also send a powerful message today to the world and to future generations. As a woman of color rising to the second-highest office in the land, Kamala Harris will make history, in multiple ways, helping more Americans see a future for themselves in public service and elected office. We remain hopeful that her service as vice president helps us achieve the more inclusive country that manufacturers work to build every day.

“Throughout our history, manufacturers have seen America through difficult days. In World War II, we were the Arsenal of Democracy. Throughout this pandemic, we have supplied the goods needed to sustain life. And in these days ahead, our industry will continue to be there for the American people. We will defend our democracy, and we will defeat COVID-19. We know from our history that, even when it seems improbable, brighter days will come. And this new day reminds us of what is still possible in the United States of 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 12.2 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 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 .

As a new administration and Congress begin their terms in Washington, the 51�Թ��� is reminding policymakers that manufacturers work hard to safeguard our environment. A longtime advocate of climate policies that promote manufacturing jobs in America, the 51�Թ��� has now compiled its recommendations in a paper called “The Promise Ahead.”

The big idea: Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution, which is why it’s critical for the United States to work in tandem with other countries. And while all nations need to be involved in promoting climate action, there should also be room for the kind of science-led innovation that American manufacturers have already demonstrated and will continue to provide.

• As it says in the paper, “Manufacturing holds the key to solving this global challenge. Think about the technologies that will get us there. Clean energy. Carbon capture. Batteries. Microgrids. Efficiency. Advanced vehicles. Manufacturers make these products and technologies and will continue to invent new ones.”

A push for global action: The plan recommends negotiating and ratifying a binding international climate action treaty that is both fair and enforceable, a position the 51�Թ��� has long held. This will ensure that the United States does not suffer a competitive disadvantage and can lead the way in developing job-creating technologies and products.

A roadmap for results: The plan also offers guidelines for a national approach to climate change, adhering to three core principles that have always guided the 51�Թ���’s climate strategy:

• One unified policy: Instead of the patchwork of federal, state and local climate change regulations that manufacturers currently face, the industry needs a clear federal policy that offers predictability, consistency and certainty while meeting science-based targets. Businesses should be able to plan for the future—and shouldn’t have to worry that the policies of today will be different tomorrow.
• A level playing field: Any national policy to address emissions should be economy-wide and apply to all emitters. Congress should develop plans that don’t unduly burden one sector over another, and manufacturers shouldn’t be expected to shoulder the already-high cost of new regulations alone.
• Consumer choice and competitiveness: This policy approach shouldn’t automatically involve a mandated phaseout of any manufactured product. Instead, policymakers should lead with the tools and strategies manufacturers need to improve products, preserving consumer choice and supporting the innovation that manufacturing provides.

Immediate actions: The blueprint also offers some bipartisan actions that could be taken now and reduce emissions immediately. These proposals include the following:

• Investing in energy and water efficiency
• Funding and expanding climate and clean energy R&D programs
• Paving the way for a smart grid
• Commercializing and deploying carbon capture, utilization and storage technology
• Ratifying the Kigali Amendment, which sets a global path for phasing down HFCs

The last word: “It’s remarkable to see the commitments manufacturers are making to the health of our communities, our country and our world—which is why we have consistently led the drive for climate innovation,” said 51�Թ��� Vice President of Energy and Resources Policy Rachel Jones. “We need a national and international approach that unleashes our efforts. Our plan is designed to create a rallying point for that approach and spur sustainable economic and environmental progress.”

Washington, D.C. – The 51�Թ��� called on President-elect Joe Biden to help ensure the future strength of manufacturing in America by extending key executive orders into the new administration and rescinding those that have harmed manufacturing.

“For decades, we have worked with policymakers from across the ideological spectrum to craft policies that encourage the growth of manufacturing in the United States,” said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons in a letter to the incoming administration. “Now more than ever, America needs leaders in Washington who are focused on increasing American jobs, wages and investment.”

The letter outlines executive orders that have had a significant impact, positive or negative, on manufacturers over the past four years, and it urges the president-elect “to reverse the most harmful of these orders and keep or expand those that create an environment that is conducive to growing America’s manufacturing sector.”

The 51�Թ���’s recommendations will help manufacturers continue to respond to the devastating pandemic and will also power the United States’ economic recovery by setting the stage for manufacturing growth.

To read the full letter, click .

Background:

The 51�Թ��� has requested President-elect Biden repeal the following executive orders and consider executive orders for extension.

Executive Orders

Rescind:

• “Rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program”
• E.O. 13950 – “Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping”
• E.O. 13672 – “Revocation of Federal Contracting”
• E.O. 13769 – “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States”
• “President’s Report to Congress on the Proposed Refugee Admissions for FY 21”
• Presidential Proclamation 10052 – “Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak”
• E.O. 13944 – “Ensuring Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures and Critical Inputs Are Made in the United States”
• E.O. 13948 – “Lowering Drug Prices by Putting America First”
• E.O. 13957 – “Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service”

Extend:

• E.O. 13771 – “Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs”
• E.O. 13805 – “Establishing a Presidential Advisory Council on Infrastructure”
• E.O. 13766 – “Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals for High-Priority Infrastructure Projects”
• E.O. 13845 – “Continuing the President’s National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board”
• E.O. 13932 – “Modernizing and Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal Job Candidates”
• E.O. 13777 – “Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda”
• E.O. 13806 – “Assessing and Strengthening the Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base and Supply Chain Resiliency of the United States”
• E.O.s – “Strengthening the Federal Government’s Anti-Counterfeiting Efforts”

-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 12.3 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 62% 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 .

It was hard to focus on any one policy in Congress’s enormous, year-end funding effort, but one deserves more press than it got at the time. That’s the bipartisan legislation that will reduce harmful refrigerants—a major climate victory, and one that the 51�Թ��� was instrumental in achieving, according to (subscription).

Good for climate: The legislation, which was co-sponsored by Republican Sen. John Kennedy (LA) and Democratic Sen. Tom Carper (DE), will help the U.S. avoid more greenhouse gas emissions every year than Germany produces in total, bringing the United States into alignment with a global deal called the Kigali Amendment. The Kigali Amendment seeks to phase down superheating pollutants like hydrofluorocarbons to prevent Earth’s temperatures from increasing by a half-degree Celsius by the end of the century.

Good for business: The deal to phase down HFCs will also benefit manufacturers in the United States who are producing greener alternatives to HFCs.

51�Թ���’s efforts: When the legislation ran into roadblocks in the Senate, the 51�Թ��� worked alongside members and the business community to educate lawmakers and move the process forward.

• “It took a lot of late-night phone calls,” 51�Թ��� Vice President of Energy and Resources Policy Rachel Jones told E&E News. “I don’t think there’s any one person or organization that can or should claim credit. This really only worked because people were willing to build the bridge from both sides of the river.”

The results: The legislation, which was ultimately included in the year-end omnibus bill that Congress passed in December, will cut HFCs by 85% over 15 years, while providing exemptions for specialty applications without viable alternatives.

The word from the 51�Թ���: “You don’t accomplish big things alone,” Jones tells us. “House and Senate staffers did yeoman’s work behind the scenes to hammer out a deal. Sister trade associations like AHRI and the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy were smart to partner with the Natural Resources Defense Council from the start.”

“Key member companies, including Honeywell, Chemours, Rheem and Trane (whose CEO is the 51�Թ���’s chairman), worked tirelessly with both sides of the aisle to build support. They emphasized to policymakers that the phasedown in HFCs would lower the global temperature while also ensuring manufacturers in America maintain their global leadership.”

Washington, D.C. – Following President-elect Joe Biden’s announcement nominating Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo for Secretary of the Department of Commerce, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released this statement:

“We congratulate Gov. Raimondo on her selection to serve as Secretary of Commerce. The 51�Թ��� has always enjoyed a special relationship with the Department of Commerce. The 51�Թ��� championed the 1903 establishment of the department as one of our association’s earliest causes.

“Our partners at the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association have enjoyed a productive working relationship with Gov. Raimondo, who will undoubtedly draw on her past private-sector experience in her new role. With a family that has been heavily involved in manufacturing, she knows well that our industry is the backbone of the American economy. So we look forward to working with her and her team to enhance the competitiveness of manufacturing in America and to continue our efforts to build a stronger, more inclusive modern manufacturing workforce—to create more career opportunities for more Americans.”

-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 12.1 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 62% 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 President-elect Joe Biden’s announcement nominating Isabel Guzman for Administrator of the Small Business Administration, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released this statement:

“Small and medium-sized manufacturers are the heart of the manufacturing industry in America. The 51�Թ��� has long enjoyed a strong working relationship with the SBA, and this past year in particular the work of the SBA, especially the Paycheck Protection Program, has been critical for small manufacturers weathering the difficult economy. We congratulate Isabel Guzman on her nomination and look forward to working with her to ensure that small and medium-sized manufacturers can thrive in the United States and continue creating great jobs for the American people.”

-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 12.1 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 62% 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 President-elect Joe Biden’s announcement nominating Boston, Massachusetts, Mayor Marty Walsh for Secretary of Labor, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released this statement:

“Manufacturers congratulate Mayor Walsh on his nomination. Our industry works every day to build a stronger, safer, more prosperous manufacturing workforce. We have more than half a million manufacturing jobs to fill right now and expect up to 4.6 million will need to be filled by 2028, which is why we launched our Creators Wanted campaign with The Manufacturing Institute, the 51�Թ���’s workforce development and education partner. Our focus is on inspiring a new generation and people of all backgrounds to pursue high-paying modern manufacturing careers. We look forward to opportunities to work with the Labor Department in the Biden administration to grow and strengthen our workforce.”

-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 12.1 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 62% 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 President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to serve as the 86th attorney general of the United States, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released this statement:

“America will be well-served by Judge Merrick Garland’s background as a prosecutor, especially his experience in the prosecution of the Oklahoma City bombers, given the need to focus on effective justice after yesterday’s domestic terrorism at the U.S. Capitol.

“Throughout his years on the bench, Judge Garland has demonstrated a strong commitment to upholding the Constitution and rule of law—the cornerstone of our country’s strength and success. In our country today, there is an urgent need to bolster trust in our institutions, and in picking Judge Garland to be our nation’s chief law enforcement officer, President-elect Biden will help build greater trust and confidence in the U.S. Department of Justice. Manufacturers congratulate him on this nomination.”

-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 12.2 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 62% 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 .

As the whole world already knows, a mob seeking to thwart the certification of the U.S. presidential election overwhelmed police and broke into the Capitol building yesterday, forcing the evacuation of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence. Here are some stories to get you up to speed quickly.

Trump’s actions: The Wall Street Journal (subscription) has a of the horrifying events, including the outgoing president’s actions. After goading the insurrectionists to action throughout the day and attacking Vice President Pence for refusing to overturn the election results, President Donald Trump eventually released a video in which he issued a half-hearted call for “peace” while telling the mob, “We love you.” Twitter and Facebook both temporarily locked his social media accounts.

Democrats respond: Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who is slated to be the next Senate majority leader, for the removal of President Trump. Other lawmakers have also called for his removal.

• “The quickest and most effective way—it can be done today—to remove this president from office would be for the Vice President to immediately invoke the 25th amendment. If the Vice President and the Cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president,” said Schumer.

Republicans respond: Some senior Trump officials have resigned, including Special U.S. Envoy to Northern Ireland Mick Mulvaney, who previously served as White House chief of staff.

• In an interview this morning, Mulvaney CNBC: “We didn’t sign up for what you saw last night…. We signed up for making America great again; we signed up for lower taxes and less regulation. The president has a long list of successes that we can be proud of. But all of that went away yesterday….”

Other officials are considering resigning, to The Washington Post (subscription), while some have also proposed invoking the 25th Amendment.

Businesses respond: Businesses and trade associations strongly condemned the rioters and President Trump, according to . Business leaders nationwide demanded that elected leaders, including the president, call for an end to violence and support the peaceful transfer of power.

• “These were destructive acts against our shared principles and beliefs of a peaceful transition of power,” said Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said, “Our leaders must call for peace and unity.”

The 51�Թ���’s call: The 51�Թ��� led the business community in a statement condemning the assault on American democracy. It urged our leaders to seriously consider next steps and reiterated its call for an orderly transition. 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons said:

• “Throughout this whole disgusting episode, Trump has been cheered on by members of his own party, adding fuel to the distrust that has enflamed violent anger. This is not law and order. This is chaos. It is mob rule. It is dangerous. This is sedition and should be treated as such.”
• “Vice President Pence, who was evacuated from the Capitol, should seriously consider working with the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to preserve democracy.”

Read the full statement .

The bottom line: The 51�Թ��� is committed to the millions of men and women who make things in America, and who have helped build a country that offers opportunity and freedom for all. The United States cannot function—as a nation or as a people—without respect for the rule of law and the ties that bind us together. Those who lead us must be especially strong in their support for our sacred institutions—or the country will not survive.

The 51�Թ��� is preparing manufacturers for a possible Emergency Temporary Standard that could be issued at the outset of the Biden administration.

What it is: An ETS is a set of mandatory rules and regulations for employers, issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Department of Labor.

What it’s for: An ETS would be intended to protect the health and safety of workers. While manufacturers are encouraged to follow CDC guidance as they develop and implement their own tailored plans to protect against COVID-19, an ETS could impose compulsory requirements on manufacturing operations, HR departments and safety protocols.

What it includes: There’s no concrete information yet about the text of an ETS, but possible new requirements for manufacturers might include:

• Written plans for stopping the spread of COVID-19;
• A comprehensive assessment of COVID-19 hazards throughout the workplace and a clear plan for diminishing or eliminating those hazards;
• Expanded definitions of terms like “positive COVID-19 case,” “high-risk exposure period” and “physical distancing”;
• Requirements that employees are tested for COVID-19 in some scenarios and paid for the time spent taking tests;
• Increased recordkeeping and reporting on safety procedures; and
• Additional requirements for employees to receive paid leave and testing.

What we’re doing: The 51�Թ��� has already begun its outreach to the incoming Biden administration to discuss the workplace investments, increased safety protocols and best practices that manufacturers have implemented during the pandemic.

• As part of those conversations, the 51�Թ��� will also make sure the incoming administration understands the impact of an ETS on vaccine and therapeutics production, supply chains and other essential manufacturing operations.
• It will also educate 51�Թ��� members via webinars, direct outreach and labor and employment updates so they can be prepared for any changes.

The last word: “Manufacturers are playing a critical role in fighting this pandemic, even as they go above and beyond to support the health and safety of their employees,” said 51�Թ��� Director of Labor and Employment Policy Drew Schneider.

“The 51�Թ��� will never stop working to ensure manufacturers have the tools and support they need to take on that challenge. And we will make sure that the incoming administration, the Labor Department and OSHA have the best possible information about how their actions impact the manufacturing industry and the nation.”