Timmons Calls on Trump Administration, New Congress to Take Steps to Stimulate Manufacturing Across America
Texas Border Business
Washington, D.C., February 22, 2017 – The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) today kicked off the 2017 State of Manufacturing Tour at Emerson Innovation Center in Austin, Texas—a hotbed of modern manufacturing. The event is the first in a series of stops in six states throughout the next week, including a visit with President Donald Trump at the White House, that will tell the real story of modern manufacturing and call on the new administration and Congress to adopt solutions to create more jobs, seize global leadership, expand the circle of opportunity and foster innovative workforce-development efforts.
“Manufacturing has been a policy lynchpin for the new administration, and now, more than ever, we have the chance to capitalize on this opportunity through policy and education to unleash a surge of manufacturing jobs in America that will last for generations,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons.
“Manufacturers are adapting and improving every day. We are changing the conversation to emphasize what modern manufacturing means today: upscaling jobs, upskilling workers and creating pathways for enhancing individual talent, securing futures and increasing wages,” Timmons added, noting that manufacturing contributes an estimated $2.17 trillion to the U.S. economy and supports 866,700 jobs in Texas alone.
Timmons, joined by Emerson Chairman and CEO and NAM Board Chair David Farr, also called on the new administration and Congress to stimulate manufacturing by reforming our tax code and regulatory systems and investing in our nation’s infrastructure. Farr will travel to the White House on Thursday to meet with the president and share ideas for how to grow the manufacturing sector.
“Today, we have a chance to work together and redefine how our country sees and supports manufacturing,” said Farr. “We can rekindle a feeling of achievement among our people and reignite the power manufacturing has to improve our world. That’s what this tour is all about.”
“When it comes to our top priorities on issues like regulatory reform, tax reform and infrastructure investment, we have a lot of common ground with the Trump administration and the new Congress,” Timmons said. “There are more jobs just waiting to be created if we can get those things done.”
Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos joined the event and issued a proclamation by Gov. Greg Abbott naming the week of February 20 the official Modern Manufacturing Week. The proclamation is available here.
Timmons and Farr were joined by the following leaders for remarks and a tour of the Emerson Innovation Center: Jim Nyquist, group president, Emerson Automation Solutions; Julian Alvarez, commissioner representing labor, Texas Workforce Commission; Bill Rodrigues, president of North America commercial sales, Dell EMC; Michael Kane, vice president, operations, Lake Charles West Plant, Sasol; and Chris Wallace, president, Texas Association of Business.
As part of the 2017 State of Manufacturing Tour, Timmons will visit with local manufacturers, employees, students, community and business leaders and elected officials across Texas, New York, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to discuss the real-world solutions needed to allow the U.S. economy and manufacturers to thrive.
