President-elect Barack Obama wants to make improving America’s infrastructure – our roads, transportation systems, rails and waterways – one of his top priorities.

One group that wants to make that a reality is the The New America Foundation. Foundation Senior Fellow Michael Lind will appear on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program to talk about why America is lagging when it comes to infrastructure.

“We’ve inherited a great 20th century infrastructure,” Lind says. “But it’s the 21st century and our competitors, including developed countries like those in Europe and Japan but also rising countries like China, invest far more than we do.”

Congress recently passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to help pull our economy out of recession. That law includes several tax provisions that could help manufacturers through this rough economic period.

National Association of Manufacturers Vice President of Tax and Domestic Economic Policy Dorothy Coleman will explain these tax provisions to listeners. Meanwhile, Ace Clearwater Enterprises Vice President Gary Johnson and Bill Morin, Director of Government Affairs for Applied Materials, will talk about how the tax provisions specifically benefited their companies.

There was recently a major development in developing more nuclear power in America. Jarret Adams, spokesman for Areva Corp., will join Mike to discuss his company’s partnership with Northrop Grumman on a new nuclear reactor supply plant in Virginia.

Going green is a trendy thing to do. But did you know being more environmentally responsible and energy efficient can also help manufacturers save some green cash, too? Coachmen Industries Inc. Vice President Tom Gehl will talk about how going green with a line of recreational vehicles has helped the company become more environmentally responsible and reduce expenses.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with “The Last Word.”

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

The U.S. House in June overwhelmingly passed legislation to expand protections for people with disabilities. Many businesses employ disabled people and manufacturers were key supporters of renewal of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), the bill’s chief sponsor, will appear on “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program to talk about how businesses and the disabilities community came together to craft the bill. Hoyer hopes the Senate will take up the bill soon.

“I think we have a bill that’s workable for both sides,” Hoyer says. “A bill that will be effective. And a bill which will carry out the intent of ensuring people with disabilities aren’t discriminated against in our country.”

“America’s Business” will continue exploring the issue of disabled workers with another guest, Assistant Labor Secretary Neil Romano. Romano runs the Office of Disability Employment Policy, which encourages companies to hire disabled people.

Despite worries about the economy a new survey indicates more American and Canadian manufacturers want to expand business at home. Deloitte and Touche Vice Chairman Craig Giffi will join Mike to talk about the survey from the National Association of Manufacturers and the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

There is a misconception that robots will replace human workers. However, FANUC Robotics President Rick Schneider will explain how his company is using robots to help manufacturers boost efficiency, grow their business, and hire more flesh and bone workers.

Americans roads, bridges and other infrastructure are ailing. We’ll talk to Patricia Dalton from the Government Accountability Office about that group’s recent Congressional testimony on the nation’s infrastructure needs. Dalton is managing director of the GAO’s Physical Infrastructure Team.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with “The Last Word.”

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

America’s transportation infrastructure – its roads, bridges, and rails – are in crisis, former Missouri Sen. Jim Talent says. The government should make fixing the nation’s ailing infrastructure a national priority, says Talent, a guest on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program.

Talent is an honorary chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers’ Alliance to Improve America’s Infrastructure.

“I think it’s one of the three or four things the government must do in partnership with the American people if America is going to continue to be prosperous and great in the next generation,” Talent says.

The declining U.S. housing market put a damper on the economy. But are things about to turn around? National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun will give us the scoop.

Exports have proven to be a bright spot in the economy. General Mills Chief Operating Officer Ian Friendly will tell us how his company, which makes popular foods such as Cheerios cereal, is taking advantage of free trade agreements.

Our nation would save countless lives and billions of dollars if we converted our healthcare records system from antiquated paper files to electronic ones. Jennifer Queen, the parent of a chronically ill child, will join us to tell us why health information technology legislation that would modernize the health care sector is so critical to her family and other Americans.

And “America’s Business” will make a special visit to the factory floor of Image National with company President Doug Bender. The Idaho company makes some of the electric signs that light up shopping centers across America.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with “The Last Word.”

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

The blog entry for “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” radio program usually appears on Fridays. However, it was delayed until today due to a power outage at the NAM’s headquarters on June 13.

Here’s the rundown on this week’s program:

Oil prices are hitting new records almost daily, hurting consumers and businesses alike. But the United States still has plenty of untapped oil, says former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, a guest on this week’s “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick.”

The former Georgia Republican congressman is chairman of American Solutions for Winning the Future. The nonpartisan group has an online petition asking Americans whether they want more domestic oil drilling to help bring down prices. Not surprisingly, many want more drilling.

“In less than three weeks it has gotten 475,000 signatures,” Gingrich says. “We’re adding 30,000 to 50,000 signatures a day now. So it’s building momentum.”

America’s roads, bridges, waterways and rails are aging and need fixing and improvements. But is our government up to the challenge? Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN) will join Mike to discuss the issue.

One answer to our nation’s energy crisis could be blowing in the wind. Assistant Energy Secretary Andy Karsner will talk about a recent report that says wind could generate 20 percent of our nation’s energy needs by 2030.

There are more minority engineers in America but more work needs to be done. National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering Inc. Vice President Irving Pressley McPhail will talk about a recent report on diversity in engineering and why the issue is so important to manufacturing.

And “America’s Business” will chat with Munro & Associates Inc. President Sandy Munro. Munro’s company is helping manufacturers become leaner and meaner by helping them boost efficiency and cut costs.

In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls “The Way It Was.” And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with “The Last Word.”

For more about “America’s Business with Mike Hambrick” and to listen to the program online check out www.americasbusiness.org.