Jul/Aug 2004 │ The Aluminum Association │
On July 9, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3598—the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2004—by a voice vote, underscoring the overwhelming support for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program on Capitol Hill. The Science Committee bill, passed as part of the House’s R&D Innovation Week, would help improve the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers by providing grants to help develop new manufacturing technologies, establishing a fellowship program for manufacturing sciences postdoctoral and senior research fellows, and reauthorizing and strengthening the MEP program. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.
The MEP, which provides technical assistance to small- and medium-sized manufacturers, has been credited with helping to create and preserve thousands of jobs nationally. The program is a network of 60 not-for-profit centers in over 400 locations in each of the 50 states. Centers are funded on a one-third federal, one-third state, and one-third member fee basis. Each center works directly with local manufacturers to help them improve manufacturing processes, train workers, improve business practices, and apply information technology to their companies.
In a survey of less than one-third of firms served by MEP from October 2002 through September 2003, it was reported that, as a result of MEP assistance, they created or retained 35,028 jobs, increased $953 million in sales, retained sales of $1.84 billion, realized $681 million in cost savings, and invested $940 million in modernization, including plant and equipment, information systems, and workforce and training.
Tariffs on key U.S. exports to Europe rose to 9 percent on July 1 and are slated to increase to 10 percent on August 1. Because the tariffs will continue to rise until legislation is enacted, companies are urged to ask lawmakers to quickly name conferees and reconcile the House- and Senate-passed jobs bills (H.R. 4520, S. 1637). Progress on naming conferees is being reported by Senate Majority and Minority leadership, and we expect House-Senate conferees to be named before lawmakers’ summer recess, which begins July 23. However, a formal conference to craft a compromise bill probably will not begin until after Labor Day.
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) has submitted a $141 billion asbestos proposal to Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN). The Asbestos Alliance—a coalition of trade associations, companies, and other parties seeking congressional legislation to solve America’s asbestos litigation crisis—has been reviewing the proposal and last week voted to work with senators on a counterproposal that Majority Leader Frist may choose to advance that would address manufacturers’ concerns.
Get Out the Aluminum Vote. For employee posters, call the BookStore at (202) 862-5156 or email dworkman@aluminum.org.
This November,
The Association has worked to provide the aluminum industry with voter tools to help our industry elect "pro-aluminum-manufacturing" policymakers. The web site www.aluminum.org and the BIPAC organization’s Prosperity Project provide companies voter registration and absentee ballot information and forms for each state. As candidates file for office, and votes that matter are cast, we'll present candidate guides and voting records.
We provide industry employees information to assist them casting their votes and becoming more involved in the electoral process. But we don't—and won't—tell them how to vote.
The political agenda for American business—the "Outline for Prosperity"—was developed by a coalition of business leaders as a statement of issues on which the business community is unified. It encourages, and we support, passage of an economic growth and job-creation package—and of long-term tax reform—that should include as many of the following as possible:
Tax: Permanent repeal of the death tax; elimination of double taxation of dividends; repeal of the corporate and individual AMT; reduction of corporate tax rates; enactment of enhanced permanent R&D tax credit legislation; and reduction of capital gains taxes.
Regulatory Policy: Requiring independent peer review to improve the quality of regulatory decisions; deregulation of functions where the marketplace or technology has made regulation unnecessary or inappropriate; streamlining of compliance and clarifying deadlines; and promotion of international harmonization of standards and regulatory processes.
Environment: Tax and other incentives promoting voluntary environmental policies—not prescriptive regulations; performance-based management for regulatory agencies where possible; emphasis on defining, measuring, and rewarding environmental results and reorienting core regulatory functions so they are driven by performance goals (not activity measures); a U.S. role in international organizations with environmental responsibilities; and using credible science and rules-based decision making to develop multinational regulatory programs.
Trade: Pursuit of bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade and tariff-reduction talks.
Energy: Encouraging federal, state, and local governments to implement a market-based national energy policy using all forms of energy, while ensuring the quality of the environment.
Healthcare: Public- and private-sector partnering to encourage healthcare solutions while avoiding imposition of new burdens that increase cost or limit access or options.
Between now and November, aluminum companies are encouraged to make their employees aware and motivated to register and vote “pro-aluminum.” Please use the voter tools at www.aluminum.org under the “Get Out the Vote” button.
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» Conduct a plant or facility tour
» Encourage telephone calls to legislators
» Send out Voter Guides and Candidate Questionnaires
