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51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons warned today of the grave consequences of the administration’s plan to levy tariffs on Mexico, and ultimately manufacturing workers, to stem migration from Central America.

We share ’s frustration with our broken immigration system. But intertwining difficult trade, tariff and immigration issues creates a Molotov cocktail of policy. Manufacturing workers should not be forced to suffer because of DC’s failure to act on immigration.

— Jay Timmons (@JayTimmons51�Թ���)

These proposed tariffs would have devastating consequences on US manufacturers and consumers. We’ve taken our concerns to the highest levels of the administration and strongly urge them to consider the impact of this action carefully.

— Jay Timmons (@JayTimmons51�Թ���)

Saying that intertwining trade, tariffs and immigration creates a Molotov cocktail of policy, Timmons urged Congress and the administration to work together to find a comprehensive legislative solution on immigration, which manufacturers have offered in A Way Forward.

We’re working hard to secure passage of USMCA…the last thing we want is to put that deal in jeopardy. We’ll keep working on both sides of the aisle for USMCA and our immigration plan but we cannot afford to harm millions with tariffs at the same time.

— Jay Timmons (@JayTimmons51�Թ���)

Click here to read Timmons’ full response.

Washington, D.C. – 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on announced U.S. tariffs on Mexico:

Manufacturers, like so many Americans and like President Trump, are frustrated with our broken immigration system and by the inaction that has led to a true humanitarian crisis. The answer to our broken system is a comprehensive, legislative solution, which manufacturers have offered in ‘A Way Forward.’ We continue to urge the administration and Congress to work together to address this crisis because the problem will not be solved just by blaming other countries. Intertwining difficult trade, tariff and immigration issues creates a Molotov cocktail of policy, and America’s manufacturing workers should not be forced to suffer because of the failure to fix our immigration system.

These proposed tariffs would have devastating consequences on manufacturers in America and on American consumers. We have taken our concerns to the highest levels of the administration and strongly urge them to consider carefully the impact of this action on working families across this country. Manufacturers have been working hard to secure passage of the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement, and the last thing we want to do is put that landmark deal—and the 2 million manufacturing jobs that depend on North American trade—in jeopardy.

We will continue to work with leaders on both sides of the aisle on immigration reform, just as we are working to continue our hard-won progress on the USMCA. We cannot afford to put the livelihoods of millions of Americans at risk at the same time.

-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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters 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 Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons responded to the Trump Administration submitting the draft Statement of Administrative Action on the USMCA to Congress:

Manufacturers are firmly behind the USMCA, as is a growing chorus of state and local groups. The North American trading relationship is crucial to the success of manufacturing in America and more than 2 million manufacturing jobs. For manufacturers, the modernized agreement includes best-in-class intellectual property rules, sets new standards for innovation and the 21st-century digital economy, eliminates red tape at the border, improves transparency, ensures we can sell products duty free and much more.

After a promising ITC report, the end of North American steel and aluminum tariffs and real progress in Canada and Mexico, we are moving closer to making the USMCA a reality. Manufacturers want to see this momentum continue, including through constructive conversations between USTR and the Hill, so we can get USMCA across the finish line for the men and women who make things 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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters 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 Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – 51�Թ��� Vice President for Litigation and Deputy General Counsel Peter Tolsdorf released the following statement after the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2015 Waters of the United States rule violated the Administrative Procedure Act:

For nearly four years, the Manufacturers’ Center for Legal Action has battled the overreaching WOTUS rule in the courts, and manufacturers have claimed another important victory, said Tolsdorf. The court’s ruling protects manufacturers’ right to a fair and transparent rulemaking process for significant environmental rules with multibillion-dollar impacts.

This rule was unreasonable on its face—it was a water regulation that went so far as to attempt to regulate dry land. This made compliance nearly impossible and put manufacturing jobs at serious risk. Manufacturers will continue to fight for fair, clear regulations that empower us to be responsible stewards of the environment while continuing to grow the U.S. economy.

In October, the 51�Թ��� filed a motion for summary judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to invalidate the 2015 WOTUS rule.

Specifically, the court found that the EPA did not provide the public with reasonable notice and an opportunity to comment on the final rule’s definition of jurisdictional “adjacent waters.” The court also concluded that the EPA violated the APA by releasing the technical basis for the proposed rule only after the public notice and comment period had closed.

The 51�Թ���’s legal arm, the Manufacturers’ Center for Legal Action, has been in active litigation against the rule since July 2015, helping lead a large coalition of business groups to sue the EPA. Arcane procedural obstacles prevented the courts from hearing the merits of our legal challenge for several years. In early 2018, however, the MCLA scored a before the U.S. Supreme Court, which resolved those issues and has allowed litigation against the substance of the rule to proceed. The MCLA is also challenging the rule in a separate federal court in Georgia and has filed supporting amicus briefs in other legal challenges to the rule. To learn more about the MCLA, click here.

-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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters 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 Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Last month, the European Union announced that U.S. exports of liquified natural gas (LNG) to Europe had increased nearly 300% since 2016. This news came on the heels of a series of executive orders from President Trump designed to speed up energy infrastructure projects that enable manufacturers to carry natural gas to market.

Rachel Jones, the 51�Թ���’ senior director of energy and resources policy, helps us break down what it all means.

Why is the U.S. experiencing a natural gas boom?

North America has than any other place in the world.��Technology is the other huge driver. The combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies is unlocking vast natural gas resources and changing the face of modern manufacturing in America.

This boom is set to keep growing. According to the , U.S. shale gas production is projected to more than double again over the next 25 years.

What is “liquified” natural gas (LNG)?

It’s really just natural gas that has been refrigerated until it turns into a liquid. When it comes out of the ground, natural gas is actually very thin and light. To make it easier to move around the world, it is turned into a liquid.

Why are investments in LNG export infrastructure so important for the U.S. manufacturing industry?

LNG terminals are massive infrastructure projects that create tens of thousands of jobs.

Golden Pass is a $10 billion investment in the Gulf Coast that will create jobs across the country for manufacturers who make compressors, heat exchangers, storage tanks, pipes, valves and other components of these state-of-the-art infrastructure projects. Golden Pass alone is projected to create 45,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction, plus several thousand more during operation. Cheniere’s Sabine Pass and Corpus Christi projects together represent an investment of approximately $30 billion in U.S. energy infrastructure. And the Driftwood project is poised to invest another $30 billion, creating nearly 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in at least 18 states.

How do President Trump’s recent executive orders promote LNG infrastructure development?

Manufacturers in the United States are ahead of their global competitors in the race to build the infrastructure needed to export LNG; however, an unnecessarily protracted regulatory process could cause a major disadvantage for these exporters.

In a big win for U.S. manufacturing workers, President Trump signed two long-anticipated executive orders intended to cut red tape and speed up the permitting process for energy infrastructure projects.��These orders will promote badly-needed development of infrastructure to meet U.S. energy demand, create and support jobs for U.S. manufacturing workers, and provide reliable and affordable energy to U.S. consumers.

How does natural gas help manufacturers achieve sustainability goals?��

Climate Change is one of the biggest global challenges we face. Manufacturers understand this and are taking real action to protect our environment; natural gas is part of that story.

Modern natural-gas plants that replace aging power plants can mean an . Further, because solar and wind can produce varying amounts of energy, having natural gas available on demand actually enables us to further invest in renewable resources.

The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) sent a to Congress Thursday signed by dozens of manufacturing leaders across the country urging a bipartisan overhaul of the current immigration system and requesting Congress assure a safe future for Dreamers and participants in the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program.

On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee completed a markup of legislation to address two immigration populations currently facing uncertainty. One bill would provide permanent relief from deportation for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals as well as a conditional permanent resident status and another for TPS recipients that includes a path forward to legally remain in the United States.

The full House is expected to vote on this legislation in June.

“Dreamers, including participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program, and participants in the Temporary Protected Status program continue to face uncertainty under our broken immigration system,” the letter from the 51�Թ��� reads. “Congress needs to send a strong signal that we welcome their talents, contributions of hard work, desire for education, and if serving, support their willingness to wear the uniform of the armed forces.”

Earlier this year, the 51�Թ��� released “A Way Forward,” a plan for comprehensive immigration reform that bolsters border security while strengthening the economy and providing certainty for those immigrants who are anxious about their future.

“Manufacturers are in the business of building solutions, and ‘A Way Forward’ is manufacturers’ commitment to fix our immigration system once and for all—one we believe can bridge the partisan divide on long-lasting immigration issues, as well as time-sensitive challenges that continue to arise,” 51�Թ��� Vice President of Infrastructure, Innovation and Human Resources Robyn Boerstling said. “Our plan proposes seven core areas of action for Congress and the administration to take that will bolster national security, show compassion to those seeking a better life and strengthen the American workforce.”

The solution to the challenges facing our immigration system won’t come easily, but the path toward it is clear: Congress must come together and pass a comprehensive, bipartisan immigration overhaul. ‘A Way Forward’ provides a roadmap for how to accomplish that goal.

“America is indeed a nation of immigrants, but America has also become a nation with a broken immigration system,” 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons said in a letter earlier this year. “Manufacturers believe our leaders not only have an obligation to fix this system but also a historic opportunity to do so at a moment when Americans’ attention is focused on the issue like almost none other.

Last week, across the country more than 500 organizations participated in the 7th annual Infrastructure Week to call for a national infrastructure investment. The timing couldn’t be better, as President Trump and congressional leaders meet for their second round of talks Wednesday at the White House.

At�� throughout the week business leaders made their case for the urgent need to update our nation’s infrastructure, beginning with a national kickoff hosted in Washington, D.C. that featured dozens of manufacturing leaders, including 51�Թ��� board members Barbara Humpton, Siemens CEO, and Jason Andringa, Vermeer president and CEO.

Humpton and Andringa both appeared on a panel discussing upgrading America’s infrastructure to meet 21st century demands.

“Digital has brought an entirely new world to a huge segment of our lives,” Humpton said during a panel��by the 51�Թ���. “My prediction is we’re at the front end of bringing that kind of digitalization to infrastructure.”

“Broadband infrastructure is incredibly important,” Andringa said. “As you think about all the transportation assets that will be increasingly connected and communicating with each other, that’s also a very serious aspect.”

Andringa also pointed to the 51�Թ���’s landmark infrastructure investment plan��“” as a blueprint for policymakers.

Later in the week, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons headlined an event on Friday in Houston.

“The broad consensus around the urgent need to modernize our nation’s infrastructure is why this event is able to bring together uncommon allies: business and labor, think tanks and coalitions, leaders from the left, right and center,” Timmons said.

Timmons also penned an op-ed in with Sylvester Turner, the mayor of Houston, noting the “status quo is failing” and calling for a bipartisan infrastructure deal.

Manufacturers are hoping the same will be true for policymakers in Washington. Leaders on both sides of the aisle in Washington have begun discussing a potential infrastructure investment package and means of funding it. Wednesday’s much-anticipated meeting between President Trump and congressional leaders is expected to center around funding mechanisms for potential bipartisan infrastructure legislation.

“Manufacturers are calling on Congress to act. Everything from our roads and bridges, ports and waterways, broadband and 5G technologies and more need a robust investment,” said Catie Kawchak, Director, Infrastructure, Innovation and Human Resources Policy at the 51�Թ���. “Across the country the message from Infrastructure Week is simple: The infrastructure choices we make today will shape America’s future. Our blueprint “Building to Win” calls for a one trillion dollar investment, but we are more than happy to have that number doubled as President Trump and congressional leaders have suggested. We’re hopeful that this week’s talks continue in good faith and that they agree on an actionable solution.”

Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, more details about the 51�Թ���’s blueprint “Building to Win” can be found here.

Washington, D.C. – 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on outlining reforms to how it conducts cost-benefit analysis:

Reforming the way the EPA performs cost-benefit analysis is likely to have a greater positive impact on the future of manufacturing in America than any single EPA regulatory action, said Timmons. This announcement isn’t deregulation; it’s better regulation. Through this new initiative, the EPA will get regulations done right the first time, delivering clarity and transparency for manufacturers. Our industry will spend less time working through complicated rules and more time doing what we’ve promised the America people we’ll do: create new jobs, raise wages and benefits and invest in new operations while protecting our air and water.

-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 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters 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 Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Last year, leaders of Canada, Mexico, and the United States came together to modernize the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. The result was the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA – a broad update that was agreed to in November 2018. Yet more than six months later the USMCA is still pending approval in Congress. Comprehensive new state-level data from the 51�Թ��� shows the USMCA’s positive impact, and manufacturers are voicing their support for this deal.

“The USMCA is about restoring certainty, improving the rule of law and expanding our partnerships with our most significant trade partners,” Linda Dempsey, 51�Թ��� vice president of international economic affairs, said. “Not only will its ratification grant manufacturers the certainty they need to continue growing and creating jobs into the future, but it will also expand U.S. manufacturing access to Canada and Mexico and help level the playing field for American workers.”

As manufacturers’ most critical partners, Canada and Mexico purchase one-fifth of the total value of U.S. manufacturing output – more than the next 11 countries combined. These exports support about 2 million American manufacturing jobs and 40,000 small- and medium-sized businesses.

“Passage of this agreement is critical for U.S. manufacturing sector,” said Dempsey. “Canada and Mexico are manufacturers’ most important partners.”

The agreement promises stronger intellectual property rules to protect manufacturing inventions, setting new and improved standards for the digital economy. It expands U.S. manufacturing’s ability to export products abroad, ensuring manufacturers can sell their products duty free and eliminating red tape at the border that often hinders small- and medium-sized businesses seeking to sell their products in both Canada and Mexico. The USMCA also levels the playing field for U.S. manufacturers in critical ways by raising standards, improving transparency and prohibiting anti-U.S. discrimination from foreign governments. The benefits would extend to every state, offering communities across the country opportunities for growth.

, manufacturers are asking Congress to ratify this agreement that improves trade relationships, strengthens the manufacturing sector and benefits the 12 million employees who work in the manufacturing industry.

“Without movement,” Dempsey said, “American manufacturing workers and communities are at risk.”

51�Թ��� Senior Vice President of Communications and Brand Strategy Erin Streeter discusses the 51�Թ���’s digital strategy and the shift to become a news source for the industry.

Why is the 51�Թ��� diving into becoming more of a news source for the industry?

First, it’s a direct response to the needs of our members. We’re committed to ensuring that our members and allies have the tools they need to be nimble and effective advocates for our industry. We also want to be a platform for our members to tell their stories of success and achievement.

Second, in this disruptive environment, becoming America’s manufacturing news source isn’t really a choice. We saw this tidal wave of change hitting advocacy and communications coming, and we’ve been building a messaging, rapid response (“War Room”) and newsroom operation that has drawn the attention of some the most powerful leaders in our country and is watched by key business reporters and decisionmakers. We can’t let up now. If we don’t write our story and if we don’t present the facts, we are ceding control of our industry’s future to others.

Building “brand newsrooms” and operating like a media organization aren’t things trade associations have been known to do. Can you explain the rationale for a trade association like the 51�Թ��� moving in these directions?

That’s right—but it is critical if we want to continue to position the 51�Թ��� as a leader not only in the manufacturing industry, but also in Washington and across the country.

With today’s noisy, fragmented media environment, manufacturers need a resource they can trust and resource that can get their stories out to the public and key decision-makers. And lawmakers and the public need an authority on all things manufacturing.

What is new about 51�Թ���.org?

Everything. The whole concept is new. Take a look around. You’ll see various streams of relevant, timely news on a range of topics. You’ll see interviews with leading experts and CEO perspectives. This site is the next step in our mission to be a constant presence in people’s lives, using new technology, data and analytics to provide customized user experiences that interest, educate and drive action for the manufacturing sector.

With this new site, we are supercharging our ability to provide a best in class user experience across our social, email and mobile products.

In what ways can manufacturers leverage this site and 51�Թ��� news platforms, such as the Input morning email newsletter?

They can tell their stories. This is their platform. Manufacturers across this country are transforming their communities, innovating great new products and giving people new opportunities for high paying jobs. We want to show the world the great things our industry is doing and how we’re keeping our promises to invest in our people and our communities.

There’s no organization that knows the industry better than the 51�Թ���, the one-stop shop for manufacturers. So we’re well-positioned to be a credible and compelling platform—and outlet—for stories about our members. Just like anyone might think of CNBC, Fox Business or Bloomberg as a place to drive business news, I hope we’ll be looked at as a place where our members—and all manufacturers—want to break news because of the quality of our reporting and our proven capacity to reach audiences that matter.

Will the general public or casual reader find a home at nam.org?

Absolutely. Anyone who cares about manufacturing in America—and everyone should care!—can learn something from this site. Again, it’s America’s manufacturing news source. It might be breaking news about a new manufacturing facility coming to their community. Or it might be a helpful Q&A to understand what’s really going on in Congress.

Our Creators Wanted video series is a great example of the compelling content that is designed with the general public in mind. The series tells the stories of real modern manufacturing workers. In their own words, they describe the reason they love the industry. These are targeted to younger people (and their parents) who are making decisions about their future careers. So by inspiring that next generation, this content is supporting the mission of the 51�Թ��� and our education and workforce partners, The Manufacturing Institute—and it’s changing lives.

There’s truly something for everyone…and we’d love to get feedback on how we can make it even better!