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AMT lobbies Congress and the Administration on issues of importance to our industry, forcefully supporting legislative and regulatory proposals that would help our industry and opposing measures that would hurt. We also participate in, and sometimes lead, coalitions to further our industry's public policy objectives.
MACHINE TOOLPAC is our industry's political action committee, an important tool for realizing the manufacturing technology industry's government relations agenda. | |
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Government Relations Priorities to Strengthen U.S. Manufacturing
Tax & Budget Policy
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Put America back on the road to economic recovery by supporting the restructuring and rebuilding of the U.S. automobile industry. That means that all of the stakeholders, including suppliers up and down the supply chain, must be included in devising the plan for a sustainable auto industry; and that Federal programs aimed at spurring the auto industry must be available to the entire supply chain.
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Stimulate the economy and spur capital equipment investment by extending bonus depreciation and Sec. 179 expensing beyond their 12/31/08 expiration date at least through 2009.
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Preserve family-owned businesses by permanently reforming the Death Tax.
- Foster greater innovation and productivity by improving the Federal R&D tax credit and making it permanent.
International Economic Policy
- Reform U.S. export control policies and licensing procedures, and particularly work against regulatory efforts by the U.S. Government to unilaterally control products and technology exported to China.
- Reform the visa process to promote more timely action on visa applications from overseas customers of U.S. industry.
- Aggressively pursue a fair currency policy with China and other countries.
- Provide adequate funding levels for U.S. export financing and promotion programs.
Technology
- Invest in America’s future by providing full government funding for manufacturing R&D programs, including the Technology Innovation Program (TIP, formerly ATP), the Manfacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), and the Smart Machine Platform Initiative (SMPI); and by creating new federal programs to promote the development of environmentally-friendly and other emerging technologies.
Legal and Regulatory Reform
- Adopt legislation that allows businesses greater access to affordable health insurance for their employees.
- Help protect workers' rights by defeating attempts to overturn 70+ years of American labor law by forcing companies to recognize a union if a majority of the company's workers sign cards indicating their desire to become unionized.
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Manufacturing Activity at 28-Year Low
January 2, 2009 - The Institute for Supply Management December 2008 Report on Business shows that manufacturing activity slipped for the fifth consecutive month to its lowest level in 28 years. None of the reporting manufacturing industries reported growth in December. ISM Report
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Treasury Responds to Congressional Oversight Panel on TARP
December 31, 2008 - The U.S. Treasury Department issued a written response to questions posed by the Congressional Oversight Panel on measures taken under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act to stabilize the finanical markets and get the economy moving again, including how funds from the Troubled Assets Relief Program are being used toward this goal.
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CBO Issue Brief on Decline in Manufacturing Employment
December 23, 2008 - An issue brief prepared by the Congressional Budget Office looks at the factors related to the steep decline in manufacturing employment since 2000 and finds that increases in productivity and imports are the primary reasons behind the substantial job loss that has occurred over the last eight years.
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CBO Supplement to Report on Federal Effective Tax Rates, 1979-2005
December 23, 2008 - The Congressional Budget Office submitted a supplement to its report: Historical Effective Federal Tax Rates, 1979 to 2005 (published in December 2007), which includes additional data on sources of income and high-income households. The supplement was provided the leadership of the Congressional tax-writing committees at their request.
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President Bush Announces Plan to Aid Auto Makers
December 19, 2008 - President Bush announced a plan today to stabilize auto makers by drawing from the financial rescue package Congress approved earlier this year. Automotive companies receiving loans will have to establish plans for long-term viability by March 31 or be required to repay their loans in full. "In the midst of a financial crisis and a recession, allowing the U.S. auto industry to collapse is not a responsible course of action," the President said.
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Government Relations Committee
Acting as the voice of the membership in Washington, this commmittee establishes AMT's policy positions in support of our industry.
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For more information contact Amber Thomas at: athomas@AMTonline.org
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