51�Թ���

Washington, D.C. –��51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the signing of the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA):

The signing of the USMCA is a landmark milestone for American manufacturing workers. Manufacturers called for a trilateral agreement, and this moves us one step closer to restoring certainty to the North American market, the biggest market for U.S. exports in the world. By securing the relationship with our North American allies, we are also better positioned to demonstrate a strong and united front against China’s unfair trade practices and end the harm they inflict on manufacturers in America.

Manufacturers need certainty now, not later. With 2 million American jobs dependent on exports to Canada and Mexico, Congress should move expeditiously to review the USMCA before the end of this year. We look forward to working with the administration and Congress to ensure the USMCA is implemented and enforced in a way that empowers manufacturers in America to continue investing in our people and our communities.”

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (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 million men and women, contributes $2.25��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. –��The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) is continuing the growth of its footprint in the nation’s capital with three new hires to its policy and government relations division as well as a new addition to its member and board relations division. Over the past year, the 51�Թ��� has added dozens of new staff as part of an aggressive expansion of the association’s advocacy and reach in Washington and across the country.

The 116th Congress will present manufacturers new opportunities to achieve progress on a range of critical issues, including infrastructure, immigration, export expansion and workforce development. In addition, we will continue to work with agency leaders to make continued improvements to our tax and regulatory systems. With these new additions to our best-in-class policy and government relations team and member and board relations team, we are well-prepared to seize these opportunities to advance a post-partisan agenda and ensure our members have the tools needed to keep hiring new workers, investing in equipment and facilities and raising wages and benefits, said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons.

New hires include the following:

• Sam Beaver joins the 51�Թ��� as Director of Government Relations.��Sam comes to the 51�Թ��� with experience in many areas of policy, including agriculture, health care, financial services, tax, education, foreign affairs, homeland security and more. Prior to joining the 51�Թ���, he was the policy adviser to Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn where he led whips on legislation headed to the Senate floor in areas of tax, trade and banking policy. Prior to that, he was the professional staff member for the Senate Committee on Finance where he negotiated and worked with senators and staff to draft and pass bipartisan bills.

• David Eiselsberg joins the 51�Թ��� as Senior Director for Tax Policy.��David comes to the 51�Թ��� with 18 years of government relations experience and thorough knowledge of the public policy process. Prior to joining the 51�Թ���, he was the chief of staff for Rep. Sam Johnson, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Over the years, David served Rep. Johnson as deputy chief of staff, legislative director and tax policy adviser. Prior to his service in the House of Representatives, David was a legislative assistant to Sen. Norm Coleman where he focused on tax, banking and small business issues. David also spent nearly six years managing research operations for a government relations firm.

• Graham Owens joins the 51�Թ��� as Director of Legal and Regulatory Policy.��Prior to joining the 51�Թ���, Graham was a legal fellow at TechFreedom where he was selected as a member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee to work alongside legal, industry and academic leaders to provide policy and legal advice to the FCC. He also served as a law clerk at the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection and served as professional staff for several years on the Oversight and Judiciary committees in the House of Representatives.

• Kristie Arslan joins the 51�Թ��� as Director of Member and Board Relations.��Prior to joining the 51�Թ���, Kristie was a principal at Arslan Consulting Services. She also served as executive director for Women Impacting Public Policy and prior to that was president and CEO of the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE). She will be based in Philadelphia, and her region will include New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Eastern Pennsylvania.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (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 million men and women, contributes $2.25��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��� (51�Թ���) President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement after the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) roundtable on the proxy process, which included a discussion of the role that proxy advisory firms play in the market and their impact on Main Street investors:

It is an encouraging sign that the SEC’s roundtable focused on the risks that proxy advisory firms pose for Americans’ retirement savings. Now manufacturers hope to see concrete action from the SEC to ensure that these firms do not undermine the retirement security of millions of Americans, including manufacturing workers. Main Street investors, retirees and pensioners deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing that key decisions affecting their savings are based on accurate advice that is free from conflicts of interest. Manufacturers look forward to engaging with the SEC as it works toward bringing much-needed transparency to this critical component of the financial system. Given the stakes for manufacturers and manufacturing workers, the time to act is now.

The 51�Թ��� has continued to ramp up its advocacy in favor of reforming the proxy process and instituting oversight of proxy advisory firms. The 51�Թ�������the SEC’s decision in September to withdraw guidance that had entrenched and empowered proxy advisory firms. In October, the 51�Թ��� submitted����to the SEC outlining manufacturers’ desired policy outcomes from the Commission’s proxy process roundtable. And last week, the 51�Թ��� and U.S. Chamber of Commerce����a nearly $1 million national print and digital advertising campaign outlining the risks proxy advisory firms pose to American workers’ retirement savings.

-51�Թ���-

��The 51�Թ��� (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 million men and women, contributes $2.25��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��� (51�Թ���) President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the midterm elections:

The manufacturing agenda is a post-partisan agenda, which is why candidates of all backgrounds touted their support for so many of our priorities on the campaign trail. Voters of all parties and of no party want to see a thriving manufacturing industry that supports high-paying jobs for American workers. We will work with anyone who wants to advance that goal.

We are living in a time of record optimism among manufacturers. That is in large part due to the significant progress we’ve made over the last two years to empower manufacturers with game-changing policy reforms. We will continue that progress with the new Congress. From infrastructure investment to regulatory relief, workforce development to trade policy, there’s plenty to be done, and we know it can be done with support from across the political spectrum.

Manufacturers will continue to use our unique platform to bring Congress together around the manufacturing agenda and to reunite our country around those four foundational principles that make our nation exceptional: free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.”

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (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 million men and women, contributes $2.25��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.

Fort Hood, TX –��On November 13, the 51�Թ���’ (51�Թ���) Manufacturing Institute will announce a $1 million investment by a major Texas manufacturer in its����servicemember training program. The announcement will be made at a Celebration of Veterans luncheon reception to recognize the service of our nation’s military members. The event will also highlight the accomplishments of the soldiers who have registered for or graduated from the Heroes program.

-MI-

The Manufacturing Institute is the social impact arm of the 51�Թ���. We drive programs and research to promote modern manufacturing and jumpstart new approaches to growing manufacturing talent. For more information, please visit��.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (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 million men and women, contributes $2.25��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. –��The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) announced that Richard (Rick) Haas, president and CEO – Mahindra Automotive North America, has been named to the 51�Թ��� Board of Directors. As an 51�Թ��� board member, Haas will work to advance a manufacturing policy agenda that promotes growth and prosperity for all Americans.

The 51�Թ��� is the largest industrial trade association in the United States and the nation’s leading advocate for manufacturing. The 51�Թ���’s 14,000 members include some of the world’s most iconic brands, and more than 90 percent of its members are small and medium-sized businesses. The 51�Թ��� Board, which comprises leaders representing companies of all sizes in every industrial sector, is the driving force behind the 51�Թ���’s advocacy efforts on issues affecting manufacturers.

I am honored to be a part of the 51�Թ��� Board as we advocate and promote policies that will ensure our continued growth and success as manufacturers, said Haas. It is critical that our elected officials and key stakeholders in Washington, D.C. understand how current policies and proposed changes to these policies impact the more than 12 million men and women employed in manufacturing here in the United States. I look forward to sharing Mahindra’s story and the stories of all manufacturers who are working tirelessly to keep our promises to our people and to our communities—particularly following the historic tax reform and regulatory relief we’ve seen over the past two years.

In March of this year, Mahindra became the first automotive OEM to open a manufacturing operation in the Detroit area in more than 25 years��when it launched its ROXOR off-road vehicle. The company’s Auburn Hills, Michigan��operation serves as Mahindra’s North American headquarters and will play a key role in its plan to become a global player in a variety of mobility segments.

Rick commands respect as a recognized leader in our industry, and the 51�Թ��� will be stronger thanks to his service on our Board of Directors,��said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons. Across America, manufacturers are keeping our promise to deliver for our people and communities following tax reform and regulatory relief from Washington. The 51�Թ���’s mission is to ensure we keep moving forward by expanding trade, investing in infrastructure, reforming our immigration system, responding to the workforce crisis and so much more. Rick will bring invaluable insights as we work to drive even more manufacturing growth in America and be an advocate for the more than 12 million men and women who make things in America.

-MANA-

����Mahindra Automotive North America (MANA) is the North American headquarters of the $20.7B Mahindra Group’s automotive division. Established in 2013, MANA now employs over 400 people and became the first automotive OEM to launch a manufacturing operation in SE Michigan in over 25 years when it began producing the ROXOR off-road vehicle earlier this year in Auburn Hills, MI. Working with affiliate Mahindra teams in India, Italy and Korea, MANA also continues to fulfill its mission as a center of automotive engineering excellence, which includes automotive design, engineering and vehicle development, and is led by a team of veteran industry executives, engineers and designers. For more information, visit����and��.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (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 million men and women, contributes $2.25��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. – The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) today filed an amicus brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in Mozilla Corporation v. FCC supporting the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) repeal of the onerous 2015 net neutrality rule.

Internet-driven technology is at the heart of modern manufacturing, and the FCC’s decision to repeal the onerous 2015 net neutrality rule was a victory for the competitiveness of manufacturers in America, said 51�Թ��� Senior Vice President and General Counsel Linda Kelly. The previous administration’s decision to regulate the internet with a more than 70-year-old law designed to govern the use of rotary telephones only burdened manufacturers with uncertainty. We are confident the court will agree that the FCC acted within the law to end the Obama-era FCC’s heavy-handed approach that was neither appropriate nor necessary for the rapidly evolving, highly competitive broadband market.

Joining the 51�Թ���’s Manufacturers’ Center for Legal Action (MCLA) on the amicus brief are the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable and the Telecommunications Industry Association. The MCLA previously filed amicus briefs in 2012 and 2015 in opposition to the previous administration’s net neutrality rulemaking.

To learn more about the MCLA, click��here, and to learn more about the impact of net neutrality on manufacturers, visit our��website.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (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 million men and women, contributes $2.25��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. –��The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) today�� a motion for summary judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas seeking to strike down the onerous 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule in its entirety.

Manufacturers finally have the opportunity to strike down this onerous rule and clear a path for the current administration to issue a sensible and clear replacement, said 51�Թ��� Senior Vice President and General Counsel Linda Kelly. For more than three years, the 51�Թ���’s Manufacturers’ Center for Legal Action has fought the 2015 WOTUS rule because it goes further than the law allows, even attempting to regulate land that isn’t wet. The uncertainty created by this overreaching and unfair rule threatens manufacturing jobs, and it fails to adequately protect clean water. Manufacturers recognize we must responsibly manage water resources and have been working to protect clean water for decades. The 51�Թ��� will continue to advocate for a new rule that is consistent with the Clean Water Act, protects our nation’s waters and provides clarity for manufacturers and landowners around the country.

The 51�Թ���’s Manufacturers’ Center for Legal Action (MCLA) has been in active litigation against the 2015 WOTUS rule since July 2015. Arcane procedural obstacles prevented the courts from hearing the merits of our lawsuit for several years. In early 2018, however, the 51�Թ��� scored a����before the U.S. Supreme Court, which resolved those issues and has now allowed litigation against the substance of the rule to proceed.

To learn more about the MCLA, click��, and to learn more about the impact of federal water regulations on manufacturers, visit our��.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (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 million men and women, contributes $2.25��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��� (51�Թ���) President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the White House’s announcement regarding the Universal Postal Union:

President Trump deserves tremendous credit for the administration’s focus on eliminating the anti-US manufacturer subsidy China receives from the U.S. Postal Service, said Timmons. This outdated arrangement contributes significantly to the flood of counterfeit goods and dangerous drugs that enter the country from China. Manufacturers and manufacturing workers in the United States will greatly benefit from a modernized and far more fair arrangement with China.

In April, Timmons sent a��letter��to Secretary Mnuchin outlining manufacturers’ concerns with the Universal Postal Union system, which allows China to receive a subsidy from the U.S. Postal Service for certain inbound shipments. The U.S. Postal Service lost an estimated����on this subsidy during the last fiscal year, and that number is expected to increase 40 percent annually due to the rapid growth of e-commerce. Read Timmons’ recent op-ed for��The Hill��on the topic��.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (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 million men and women, contributes $2.25��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. –��On the heels of yet another positive employment report showing 18,000��manufacturing jobs were created in September, the51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) today released the results of the����for the third quarter of 2018. According to the results, optimism among manufacturers remains exceedingly high (92.5 percent) following enactment of tax and regulatory reform and is on pace for the highest yearly reading in the survey’s 20-year history. In addition, the four-quarter average from Q4 2017 through Q3 2018 rose to 93.9 percent—making it the highest one-year average on record.

As thousands of manufacturers host����events across the country,��which President Trump marked with a��, the survey also shows that despite the sustained high level of optimism, the lack of enough skilled workers continues to pose significant challenges for manufacturers’ ability to grow their business. According to the latest government data, there are more than��.��The inability to attract a quality workforce has forced more than one in four manufacturers surveyed to turn down new business opportunities, while one-third noted that they held off on plans to hire more workers due to workforce constraints. Nearly half of manufacturers surveyed cited this workforce crisis as the number-one threat facing their business.

Highlights from the Q3 survey include the following:

• The vast majority of manufacturers (92.5 percent) in Q3 said they have a positive outlook for their businesses, putting manufacturers’ optimism for 2018 on track to be the highest annual average in the survey’s 20-year history.
• The four-quarter rolling average inched up to a record-high 93.9 percent.
• Optimism among small manufacturers increased from 89.5 percent in Q2 to 91.3 percent in Q3.
• Projected wage growth remained at the fastest pace in 17 years.
• Attracting and retaining a quality workforce remained the top concern among manufacturers (73.2 percent).
• The inability to attract a quality workforce has forced more than one in four manufacturers to turn down new business opportunities, while one-third noted that they held off on plans to hire more workers due to workforce constraints.

Tax reform and regulatory relief have spurred strong manufacturing growth, and manufacturers are now investing in our communities, hiring more Americans and raising wages and benefits, said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons. Amid all this good news, it is no surprise that manufacturers in 2018 are more optimistic than they have ever been in the history of our survey. Still, with the workforce crisis being manufacturers’ most widely cited challenge, the 51�Թ��� and our Manufacturing Institute are tackling the issue head on—launching the Heroes MAKE America training program on military bases to equip soldiers with the skills to join the manufacturing workforce, expanding vocational training programs in local communities and elevating the examples of successful company-led upskilling programs. Over the long term, we have to focus on the attraction of new talent and inspire the next generation, just as we are on Manufacturing Day.

The 51�Թ��� will deliver����with the new survey results to every member of the House and Senate.

Conducted by 51�Թ��� Chief Economist Chad Moutray, the Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey has surveyed the association’s membership of 14,000 large and small manufacturers on a quarterly basis for the past 20 years to gain insight into their economic outlook, hiring and investment decisions and business concerns.

The 51�Թ��� releases these results to the public each quarter. Further information on the survey is available��.

-51�Թ���-

��The 51�Թ��� (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 million men and women, contributes $2.25��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.