On Friday President Obama spoke at the Boeing Company’s facility in Everett, WA and called on Congress to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States. The President also rolled out several new initiatives to help companies grow exports.

The Ex-Im Bank plays an important role in our country’s ability to export. Thousands of small businesses all over the country benefit from the Bank, last year the Bank supported $41 billion in exports from 3600 companies, which supports tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs.

If Congress fails to reauthorize the Bank our competition will simply pass us by. We already trail many of our competitors by a large margin. Germany, France and India all provided at least seven times more export assistance as a share of GDP than the U.S. in 2010. If we don’t reauthorize Ex-Im and increase the current lending limit we simply won’t reach the goal of doubling exports by 2014 and jobs will be hurt.

It’s just not President Obama calling for the Banks reauthorization, in the past week a few conservative commentators have called for the Banks’s reauthorization.

Just today conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt wrote a column for on the WashingtonExaminer.com titled “Right Should Support Export-Import Bank” stating that the Bank should be reauthorized as an enterprise the federal government ought to be doing and does well:

For nearly 80 years, Ex-Im has been contributing to that originalist policy, and it would be a terrible triumph of an absolutist ideological tilt to strike even partially at one of the things the federal government not only ought to be doing, but which it has been doing and doing well under both Republicans and Democrats.

Hewitt continues on the success of Ex-Im:

Ex-Im is a success, one which conservatives can support proudly and from which they can draw lessons on the right functioning of the federal power with which to argue against the abuses and distortions of that power.

And last week on Townhall.com George Landrith, president of Frontiers of Freedom, in a post titled “A Conservative’s take on the Ex-Im Bank” he talks about the benefits of the Bank and how doesn’t cost the taxpayers a dime:

The Ex-Im Bank does not compete with private financial institutions, but rather fills-in banking gaps so that U.S. goods can be exported to nations where commercial financing is insufficient. The Ex-Im Bank doesn’t cost taxpayers a dime. Rather, it makes money from the fees charged to foreign buyers which get pumped back into the U.S. Treasury and helps reduce the deficit. 

The Ex-Im Bank has a 75 year track-record and the Congressional Budget Office projects in the coming years, the Ex-Im Bank will pump $900 million into the U.S. Treasury – not to mention the hundreds of billions of dollars of U.S. made goods that will be exported and the hundreds of thousands of American jobs that will be supported. In 2011 alone, the bank facilitated sales abroad that supported 290,000 American jobs.

Landrith refutes the argument from critics that the Ex-Im Bank is government interference in the private sector or picking winners and losers

Virtually every other nation offers export loan assistance. In fact, China and many other nations actually offer aggressive, below market loans to induce foreign buyers to purchase their goods. When the U.S. competes on quality and price, it wins the competition. That is precisely why nations like China intervene and offer cut rate financing with very generous terms so that they can undercut U.S. firms. Europe does this as well.

As a conservative, I would like to see free markets expanded. We should enter into more free market reform agreements with our trading partners. We should reform our tax code and our regulatory regime to ensure we are competitive.

But nixing the Ex-Im Bank now without international financing reform agreements does nothing to promote free markets. It merely undermines U.S. manufacturing, kills high-paying American jobs, and erodes our ability to compete in a worldwide marketplace

We urge Congress to reauthorize the Bank and increase its lending limit as soon as possible, without the Bank we will be left behind by our competition and manufacturers across the country will suffer the consequences.

We urge Congress to reauthorize the Bank and increase its lending limit as soon as possible, without the Bank we will be left behind by our competition and manufacturers across the country will suffer the consequences.

Today we see more news of the devastating impact of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) overreaching Utility MACT regulations. FirstEnergy Corp. announced today that the company will be closing three power plants in West Virginia by September.

The closing of these plants will result in the loss of more than 100 jobs not to mention how it will impact the economies of the communities where the plants are located. We often forget about indirect impact of closings such as this which tends to ripple through the entire community.

Also, the reliability of our power grid is put at risk by the EPA’s regulations. Manufacturers are looking for certainty and regulations such as Utility MACT will only increase energy costs and cause them to at times wonder about the reliability of their power grid. Manufacturers consume one-third of our nation’s power and need access to all sources of energy.

An “All-of-the-Above” approach to energy should include everything including clean coal, manufacturers can’t afford increasing energy prices at a time when they are trying to recover, hire and create new jobs.

Today Vice President Joe Biden was in Grand Rapids, MI talking about manufacturing and following up on the proposals laid out last week by President Obama in the State of the Union.

We are happy to see the President and Vice President are continuing to talk about manufacturing and realize how important it is to the economy and job creation. However, manufacturers need the right policies to grow and create jobs.

Manufacturers are looking for the “All-of-the-Above” energy policy that includes the Keystone XL pipeline. If they Administration wants to create manufacturing jobs, the perfect project was right before them. Keystone XL will create 20,000 construction and manufacturing jobs and more than 118,000 spin-off jobs.

As the discussion continues about manufacturing and how to create jobs we hope that both Congress and the Administration will move forward with policies to let manufacturers lead the economic recovery and create quality, high-paying jobs.

As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to move forward with its overreaching agenda the impact is beginning to be felt across the country. This week we’ve seen new reports in the news of jobs that will be lost as the result of facilities that will be forced to close because of new EPA regulations. These closing’s just don’t impact those who work at the plant, they impact the entire town.

A report from Williamsport, Maryland Herald-Mail yesterday tells the story of the impact the closing of the R. Paul Smith Power station will have on the entire community.

Williamsport resident Johnna Artz didn’t mince words Thursday about her opposition to the closing of the R. Paul Smith Power Station in town.

“This affects everybody,” she said. “It hurts the whole community with the number of jobs and revenue lost.” The plant, which went on line in 1927 and employs around 40 people, is being closed as a result of tougher emission regulations imposed by theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Artz, 71, who has lived in Williamsport for 48 years, said that the plant closing will impact her family. She said the federal government could focus on other environmental issues instead of those that take away jobs.

And on the banks of Lake Erie FirstEnergy Corp facing the same regulations will be shuttering plants which will impact hundreds of employees and have a domino effect through the local communities. (continue reading…)

One of the big success stories in the trade world for 2011, other than passage of the FTAs, was success of the Export-Import Bank’s Global Access for Small Business program. Last year the Ex-Im Bank approved $6 billion in small business financing through this helpful new program which is supported by the National Association of Manufacturers.

It’s a little known fact that more than 85 percent of all the Bank’s transactions directly benefit small business exporters.

As you can see export financing is paramount to the ability of manufacturers to export and in turn grow jobs and invest. We have to remember that 95 percent of the world’s consumers are outside of the U.S. and our manufacturers need the tools to reach them, if not we will be eclipsed by our overseas competition.

The NAM is urging Congress to act as soon as possible to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank and to increase the Bank’s lending capacity. If we are going to meet the goal of doubling exports by 2014 an improved Ex-Im Bank is going to play an important role and we can’t afford to wait to act until the temporary authorization expires.

Manufacturers are constantly planning for the future several months and years in advance which is why a multi-year extension is needed. 

Ex-Im Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg is also pushing for Congress to move quickly as CQ reported earlier this week.

In an interview, Ex-Im Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg said Congress needs to quickly assure businesses and foreign customers that it will have more financing authority. Hochberg called legislation to raise the bank’s lending limit a “jobs bill.”

Reauthorizing Ex-Im means more exports which translates to more jobs for American workers. We are hopeful Congress can come together to move forward soon before we lose out to the competition.

Fresh off his third State of the Union Address, where he discussed the need for growing manufacturing, President Obama will be touring Intel’s Ocotillo Campus in Chandler, Arizona. The Intel facility in Chandler employs nearly 10,000 people and builds high tech processors. The President is expected to continue to discuss manufacturing and job creation.

Intel is a leading innovator in high-tech manufacturing and is currently expanding their operations in Arizona. The company is building the world’s most advanced, high volume chip fabrication plant in Arizona. The plant is scheduled to be completed in 2013. This is great news for manufacturing in the United States.

Manufacturers are hopeful President Obama will adopt the policies manufacturers have laid out in A Manufacturing Renaissance: Four Goals for Economic Growth. By instituting pro-growth policies companies like Intel will be able to better compete, expand and create good high-paying jobs.

This morning the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on President Obama’s decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline last week. The witnesses at the hearing included officials from the Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.

During the hearing there was an attempt by several members of the Energy and Commerce Committee to politicize and further distract from the main issue at hand – jobs and energy security. It’s time for the politics to stop over Keystone XL and get down to how we move forward with this important project. President Obama and his Administration have already decided to play politics over sound policy and it will cost manufacturers jobs and lost competitiveness. We can no longer afford additional delays by playing partisan politics.

The project will put thousands of Americans back to work immediately and the benefit will be felt throughout the economy. The pipeline’s construction will create 20,000 manufacturing and construction jobs and 118,000 spin-off jobs.

The jobs numbers don’t tell the full story. Manufacturers are large consumers of energy, using one-third of our nation’s energy supply. Keystone XL will provide a key source of affordable energy for manufacturers. Manufacturers are already facing strong headwinds from rising energy prices and regulations which makes Keystone XL vitally important to manufacturers’ competitiveness against growing global competition. We can no longer afford to wait.

The January edition of Member Focus hit mailboxes this week and is also available here. Below is this month’s column from NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons on the need for tax reform.

Time for Leadership on Tax Reform

By Jay Timmons, president and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers

Jay Timmons, NAM president and CEO

Congress and the President concluded 2011 by showcasing the dysfunction that has inspired cynicism among the American people.

The most recent fight centered on whether an extension of the so-called “payroll tax holiday” would be in effect for two months or for an entire year. The two-month extension won the day, so Congress and the President will have this debate again soon.

Businesses cannot plan a budget or operate efficiently when our elected leaders are running the country on a month-to-month basis.

Then again, no one can praise Washington’s economic logic.

Last summer, our leaders finally acknowledged our nation’s tremendous debt problem. Congress and the Administration agreed to cut $1.4 trillion over 10 years—an amount that matches our deficit for one year—and empowered a “Super Committee” to get the job done.

During deliberations, the Super Committee refused to touch one of the main drivers of our debt: entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare, which comprise 60 percent of the budget.

The Super Committee failed to reach a deal—and nothing was done to ensure long-term sustainability of these entitlement programs. Then, attention turned to the expiring payroll tax holiday. (continue reading…)

Throughout the night we will be updating the blog with live updates and reaction from President Obama’s State of the Union. So stay tuned for updates.

Update: President Obama has begun his third State of the Union Address by thanking all the troops who have served in Iraq and discussing the war in Afghanistan.

Update: President Obama calls for Congress to work together to create, “An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs.”

Right now we are at a pivitol time for manufacturers in this country. Now is the time to reduce the regulations and burdens that face manufacturers.

Update: President says he wants to lay out a blueprint for an economy that is build to last. Our hope is they will adopt the policies that are laid out in our Manufacturing Renaissance: Four Goals for Economic Growth.

Update: President Obama discussing effort to double exports by 2014. In order to reach this goal we need more trade agreements, export control reforms, and the reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank.

Update: President Obama mentions one of the First Lady’s Guests, Jackie Bray, a process operator at Siemens Charlotte Energy Hub. She participated in a community college retraining program to learn the skills necessary for her new job. Training programs such as this are essential to the competitiveness.

Update: President Obama says he is directing his Administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources. Calls for an “All of the Above” strategy. Manufacturers believe that strategy should include the Keystone XL pipeline that he rejected just last week. A mistake that will cost us jobs.

He also called for the development of natural gas development. It’s essential that the EPA does not overreach and continue to allow for shale development. A PwC/NAM study shows that shale development will create 1 million manufacturing jobs.

Update: President Obama calls for an effort to rebuilt our infrastruture. An improved and efficient infrastructure is important to manufacturers competitiveness.

Update: Increas

Today National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons was the featured speaker at the weekly Heritage Foundation Blogger Briefing which was hosted at NAM headquarters.

NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons Speaks During the Tuesday Blogger Briefing

During the briefing today Timmons discussed the NAM’s A Manufacturing Renaissance: Four Goals for Economic Growth and what needs to be done in Washington to keep manufacturers competitive to create jobs. “This really outlines what we have heard from our members all over the country,” said Timmons.

Timmons also discussed how the U.S. is at cost disadvantage when it comes to competiting with our major trade partners, “It’s currently 20 percent more expensive to do business in this country than it is for our major trading partners. Three years ago it was 17 percent.”

Additionally, Timmons addressed the President’s decision last week on the Keystone XL pipeline saying it was an example of the Administration “putting politics over sound policy.”