Tag Archive for 'AEM'

In Response to President Obama’s Infrastructure Bank

Published on September 7, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Dennis Slater, AEM President

Statement from Dennis Slater, President of Association of Equipment Manufacturers

America’s equipment manufacturing industry applauds the President for recognizing the vital importance of infrastructure investment to the long-term strength and competitiveness of our country. What America needs – and what voters want – is the Administration and Congress to work in partnership right now to finally pass a transportation reauthorization bill that will address longstanding safety and quality issues, and put Americans back to work.

Investing in the rebuilding and modernization of our nation’s roads, railways, runways and transit systems is a strategy that Democrats and Republicans alike should be clamoring to support.  Instead, Congress has let a six-year bill expire while America falls behind other nations that are building infrastructure for future competition in the global marketplace. In the short term, this has and will continue to cost American jobs. In the long-term, it will cost us our competitive advantage – and even more jobs.

While the President’s plan for an Infrastructure Bank and increased capacity in our infrastructure system is an important step, Congress has the opportunity to act now on transportation reauthorization that will result in immediate job creation.  We need a strategic vision for modernizing our country’s infrastructure, and leaders with the courage to make it happen.  We need Congress to pass a transportation bill, and they need to come together on a robust, multi-faceted and sustainable way to pay for it, including consideration of a user fee increase.  Maybe this is not the most popular policy stance in an election year, but there is no such thing as a safe road built by American workers for free.

Editor’s Note:

Site-K Construction Zone has been posting information and comments about the country’s need for a new transportation bill. One, that had been based on a couple of years of intense research and addressed the immediate and long term transportation needs of the country by congressman James L. Oberstar and his committee, has been put on hold a couple times since the last bill,  SAFETEA-LU, expired on September 30, 2009. A year and billions of dollars have been wasted and more debt created while we as a nation sit and wait… A comprehensive transportation bill would be a step in the right direction. Congress doesn’t have to wait until December to pass one. Now would be a good time…

GS

America’s Equipment Manufacturing Industry Responds to Sluggish Economic News

Published on August 30, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Dennis Slater, AEM President

Statement from Dennis Slater, President of Association of Equipment Manufacturers

News that the U.S. economy grew at a slower pace than expected in the second quarter of 2010 should sound an alarm to Congress. There is an urgent need for job creation in this country. While there are no easy political fixes to jolt unemployment numbers or the GDP, our leaders need to acknowledge the reality that national policies to keep manufacturing strong in this country are inadequate and have failed to create the certainty that manufacturers need to invest and hire.

Congress needs to immediately pass a new transportation bill that addresses urgently needed safety, rebuilding and modernization issues across the nation. Now is the time to build and repair America’s roads and bridges for the good of the country. Infrastructure investment is a proven economic engine with staying power – not only does it drive growth, it creates lasting benefits. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 30,000 jobs are created for every $1 billion spent on infrastructure. And a modernized infrastructure system will give America the competitive edge in the global economy while improving the lives of Americans for generations to come.

Stimulus money is nearing an end, state and local budgets continue to shrink, and with a slowing recovery, the prospects for a sustained rebound in sales and employment are weakening.

Over the past 10 years, manufacturing in the U.S. has shed 5.5 million jobs. Unemployment in the manufacturing sector remains higher than the national average. There has been some recovery of lost jobs, but the rebound is much slower than it should be.

Infrastructure investment is the most effective action we can take to change this picture. We need a new national manufacturing policy that creates American jobs and rebuilds America’s infrastructure.

AEM Responds to Signing of “Manufacturing Enhancement Act”

Published on August 12, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Statement from Dennis Slater, President of Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Today’s Presidential signing ceremony of the “Manufacturing Enhancement Act of 2010″ is an important recognition of America’s need to improve manufacturing jobs. While we applaud the bill, it is only one small step to leveling the playing field for equipment manufacturers that seek to export American-made products for the benefit of our nation’s economy. Today’s news that the U.S. trade deficit widened to an unexpected high in June is all the more reason for Congress to take immediate action on substantive manufacturing policies.

Some people believe that passing a free trade agreement months before the mid-term election is politically risky. More risky, however, is delaying the opportunity for American farmers and manufacturers to create jobs in the U.S. by exporting their products to new markets around the world. One very direct way to do this is by passing the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Columbia.

America’s Manufacturing Industry Responds To Today’s Job Loss Numbers

Published on August 6, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Statement from Dennis Slater, President of Association of Equipment Manufacturers

The unemployment numbers released by the Labor Department today are discouraging news for the millions of Americans seeking work. Our economy is stuck at 9.5 percent unemployment, and Congress should be pulling out the stops to put America’s middle class back to work in the manufacturing industry. Last week the House passed a bill that establishes the equivalent of a Blue Ribbon commission to study manufacturing jobs. We’re encouraged to see this focus on manufacturing, but a study commission is not enough. Our nation’s unemployed need concrete action on jobs – and they need it now. There are two simple, yet fundamental, things Congress can do not only to improve the outlook for equipment manufacturing jobs but for our nation’s long-term, sustainable economic growth and global competitiveness:

  • Generate economic activity by rebuilding and modernizing America’s infrastructure – roads, bridges, sewer, clean water and flood control systems – starting immediately with the long overdue reauthorization of the federal surface transportation programs.
  • Help our farmers and manufacturers create more jobs in the U.S. by exporting their products to new markets around the world. One very direct way to do this is by passing the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.

This is what the AEM stands for – it’s also what America wants.

AEM Sends Open Letter To Speaker Pelosi About “Making It In America” Plan

Published on July 23, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) president Dennis Slater sent an open letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) today urging her to meet with AEM regarding a new strategy she is creating for U.S. manufacturing.

“Dear Speaker Pelosi:

Earlier this week, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) released details of a non-partisan nationwide survey about voter attitudes on the economy, manufacturing jobs and infrastructure.  Results show nearly 9 out of 10 voters agree that the nation needs to “dramatically increase manufacturing jobs” so our economy can compete with other countries.

So I was encouraged to read news reports that you recently shared with President Obama a new strategy for U.S. manufacturing, called “Making it in America.”

I applaud your focus on this initiative, and strongly urge that such a plan being developed by the congressional leadership include input from AEM, to hear what our 800 member companies throughout the country believe will lead to a successful manufacturing strategy and substantial job growth.

It is abundantly clear that the American people are not satisfied with current policies to keep manufacturing jobs in this country.  According to our survey of voters nationwide, strong majorities believe investing in infrastructure would make America a more desirable place to live and work and would create a significant number of new jobs. Heavy majorities also believe policies on expanding exports and keeping white-collar and manufacturing jobs in this country are either not working well or are having no impact. These public viewpoints capture an important strain of economic discontent that now runs throughout the country.

There is an urgent need for job creation. State and local governments face serious budget troubles. The national debt rises. People struggle to make ends meet. America’s manufacturing base – the backbone of a strong economy – keeps shrinking. All the while, foreign countries fiercely compete for our jobs.

America needs a new manufacturing policy that creates jobs in the U.S. by doing two fundamental things:

  • Generate economic activity by rebuilding and modernizing America’s infrastructure – roads, bridges, sewer, clean water and flood control systems.
  • Help our farmers and manufacturers create more jobs in the U.S. by exporting their products to new markets around the world. One very direct way to do this is by passing the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.

Until some vigorous leadership is exercised to ensure these things are done, America’s economy will suffer and our competitive position in the world will be threatened.

Now is the time, Madam Speaker, for a meaningful manufacturing strategy that will put equipment manufacturers back in business and create jobs across America.  AEM and our member companies are committed to working with you and other Members of Congress to craft a national manufacturing policy that reduces unemployment, increases American exports and builds a healthier economy for all our people.

That is how you make it in America.

I look forward to discussing your proposal in greater depth at your convenience.

Dennis Slater

President, Association of Equipment Manufacturers