Manufacturers: Bipartisan Energy Bill Will Help Economic Recovery
03/03/11 - Today, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) offered support to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Upton (R-MI), Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Ranking Member Inhofe (R-OK), and Reps. Whitfield (R-KY), Peterson (D-MN), Rahall (D-WV) and Boren (D-OK) on the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011.U.S. manufacturers welcome sensible legislation that will provide manufacturers the direction necessary to make decisions about expansion and job creation. The U.S. manufacturing sector consumes one-third of the nation’s energy supply, so it is critical that manufacturers have access to affordable, reliable and secure energy supplies. Additionally, consumers will reap the benefit of this proposal to protect them against high energy costs.
“Job creators, who have been struggling to comply with costly regulations in these economic times, are deeply concerned that more devastating regulations are on the way,” said Aric Newhouse, NAM senior vice president for policy and government relations. “We applaud this legislation and believe it can stop misguided regulations that have been putting manufacturers out of work.”
The “Manufacturing Strategy for Jobs and a Competitive America” outlines goals to make the United States the best country to headquarter a business, to do the bulk of research and development and to manufacture and serve as an export platform to the world. Included in the Strategy are manufacturers’ efforts to promote policies that protect the environment and encourage a comprehensive energy approach to achieve energy independence. Manufacturers already have made great strides in their business practices, but legislation like the Energy Tax Prevention Act is necessary to compete, innovate and grow.
Manufacturers look forward to working with the Obama Administration and Congress on energy policies that will help ensure sustained economic growth and energy security.