Without Certainty, Innovation Slows
Washington, D.C. – 51³Ô¹ÏÍø President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement in response to the new tariffs on pharmaceutical products and the adjusted tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper imports and derivative products.
“Manufacturers are innovators. We work to supply the world with the medicines and therapies to ensure a healthier future; the automobiles and aircraft that move people; home appliances that make our lives more comfortable; and the food that provides nutrition to our families. From the steel, aluminum and copper that form the backbone of modern manufacturing to the finished products that drive our economy and lifesaving pharmaceuticals that they produce, this is what America’s manufacturers do.
“Our sector is making significant investments to increase production in the United States and compete successfully with the rest of the world. That momentum is real—but sustaining and accelerating it requires flexibility. Expansion depends on the ability to access critical inputs, manage costs and operate with certainty in a competitive global market.
“Manufacturers share the president’s objectives of stronger economic growth, increased investment, more jobs and higher wages in the U.S.—and we are committed to working with the administration to make that vision a reality. Tariffs can be effective when they are used strategically and target bad actors who don’t play by the rules. Certainty is critical for manufacturers to achieve those objectives.
“Investments are decades-long commitments to the people we hire and the communities we serve. Clear, predictable rules on how tariffs are applied determine whether companies can move forward with confidence. Even with every manufacturer working at full capacity—every machine running, every job filled—the industry can only produce 84% of the inputs manufacturers need to build, modernize and operate our facilities and to increase production and output. At minimum, 16% of critical manufacturing inputs must be imported to manufacture more here in the U.S. That’s why manufacturers have offered practical pro-growth solutions through the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s Manufacturing Investment Accelerator Program. The program would provide a speed pass for critical inputs we do not make domestically, but which are needed to expand production in the U.S.—without adding cost burdens—while rewarding manufacturers who invest, expand and create new jobs here at home.
“The administration and Congress deserve enormous credit for renewing and strengthening the 2017 Trump tax reforms, advancing regulatory modernization and working to achieve American AI and energy dominance—foundations for the future of manufacturing in U.S. When policymakers build on this progress—ensuring certainty and lowering the cost of doing business—manufacturers will deliver the greatest manufacturing era in American history.â€
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The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø 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 nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.95 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø 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 51³Ô¹ÏÍø or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit .
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