“…created a chilling effect on investment in our nation’s broadband infrastructure.”
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The administration announced in early September that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program would be rescinded and called on Congress to act in order to address the issue. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) agreed then that Congress needed to fix our broken immigration system and must work to find a solution for the more than 750,000 immigrants protected under DACA.
Today, the NAM continued our leadership efforts by spearheading a joint letter to Capitol Hill urging Congress to assure DACA recipients that their future is safe in this country. The signatories of the letter included more than 30 organizations from a diverse cross-section of the manufacturing industry from around the country.
Since the announcement in September, DACA recipients, also known as DREAMers, have been living with a magnitude of uncertainty. These individuals were brought to the United States as minors through no fault of their own, and some currently are contributing to the success of the manufacturing sector. In many cases, they know no other country other than this one.
The last major immigration reform effort to come out of Washington happened in 1986. Despite the many calls for action since then to update our system, lawmakers have not delivered. NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons has called on Congress to “step up” and provide a solution for these DREAMers, and it is clear from the joint letter sent today the rest of the business community agrees.
Manufacturers have reason to be optimistic Congress will deliver to DACA recipients with many solutions already being discussed on Capitol Hill. The NAM will continue to work with lawmakers to find a solution that fixes the immigration system for these young people, manufacturers and our economy.
The letter to Congress is below and can be found here:
November 13, 2017
U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Senators and Representatives:
The immigration system is broken. For too long, the business community has called on Congress and various administrations to lead an overhaul of the immigration system. While earnest efforts have been made, nothing has changed. The last major reform of the immigration system took place in 1986.
Recipients participating in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program should not have to live in fear of deportation. Congress needs to send a strong signal to this segment of the immigrant community that we welcome their talents, contributions of hard work, desire for education and if serving, support their willingness to wear the uniform of the armed forces.
Manufacturers call on Congress to assure DACA recipients that their future is safe. Pass legislation well before the administration’s March deadline. We all stand by efforts that improve our immigration system and enhance border security. Moreover, these young people deserve dignity and long-term certainty, including an achievable pathway to legal status.
Sincerely,
Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
Aluminum Association
American Wire Producers Association
AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology
Association of Pool and Spa Professionals
Association of Washington Business
Global Cold Chain Alliance
Greater North Dakota Chamber
INDA, The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry
International Fragrance Association North America
International Housewares Association
Leading Builders of America
Michigan Manufacturers Association
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
Missouri Association of Manufacturers
National Association of Manufacturers
National Marine Manufacturers Association
NC Chamber
Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Nevada Manufacturers Assn
New Jersey Business & Industry Association
New Mexico Business Coalition
Ohio Manufacturers’ Association
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute
Resilient Floor Covering Institute
SNAC International
Texas Association of Business
The Toy Association
Vinyl Siding Institute
The members of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted today to continue their efforts to free the internet from regulation by moving forward on their “Restoring Internet Freedom” order (proceeding 17-108). The agency is now officially accepting public feedback on the decision. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) intends to file comments in support of ending the regulation of the internet. All of you who agree that overregulation stifles private-sector investment and innovation are encouraged to join us in sending that message. The deadline to make your voice heard is July 17.
When the FCC announced the decision a few weeks ago to consider this issue at their meeting today, we made the point then that internet-driven technology is now ubiquitous across all manufacturing sectors. We argued that our industry needs to see continued investment in our telecommunications infrastructure so we can maintain our global innovation leadership position that connectivity to the internet enables. The best way to ensure investment continues to flow is for Congress to act and create clear rules of the road. But the FCC’s decision to begin the process to roll back a 1930s-era regulation will help facilitate that investment and support innovation in our sector.
It’s a timely coincidence that this FCC decision occurred during Infrastructure Week. Industries and individuals from across the country and political spectrum have rallied together and are calling on Washington to work together to address our infrastructure challenges. Broadband is part of manufacturing’s critical infrastructure, and the biggest challenge it faces is government policies and regulations slowing its deployment. We encourage you to join the NAM and tell the FCC the time is now to free the internet from regulation and ensure our broadband infrastructure remains the best in the world.
Augmented reality. Drones. The Internet of Things. Cloud computing. Robotics. 3D printing. What does this sound like? If you said these are the disruptive technology tools being leveraged by today’s modern manufacturer in their products and on shop floors, you are correct.
Manufacturing has gone digital. The industry is investing in and leveraging new technologies to deliver better products faster. They know this is what it takes to compete.
We highlighted the benefits of disruptive technology when we shared the results of a National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) member survey last November. NAM members told us then that these new technologies are increasing shop floor efficiencies, enabling new revenue streams and allowing manufacturers to move into completely different product lines. That sentiment has not changed. Read More
The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Ajit Pai, announced today that the agency intends to repeal the 1930s-era regulations known as “Title II” that have been imposed on the internet since 2014. This move will benefit all manufacturers that increasingly depend on connected technology and the robust broadband infrastructure needed for it to succeed. Read More
Late last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under the guise of protecting privacy, rolled out a rule creating a new and unnecessary regulatory regime that would impact the ability of manufacturers to innovate. Today, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act that would rescind the regulation. This is good news for manufacturers. Read More
Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced the NAM-supported Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act today. This legislation creates a strategic partnership between manufacturers and the public sector focused on fostering the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT). The National Association of Manufacturers looks forward to working with both the House and Senate to move this bipartisan bill. Read More
In the final hours before Congress went home for the holidays, it passed a bill that places a priority on innovation and the important role basic research plays in today’s manufacturing economy. The House and Senate both unanimously passed S. 3084, the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act.
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) recently released “Building to Win,” a blueprint for the next Congress and president on how to repair and revolutionize the infrastructure that makes the American Dream possible. There are many pieces of infrastructure mentioned in the report—traditional transportation infrastructure as well as energy, water and communications systems. Broadband is one segment of infrastructure that is often overlooked but cannot be forgotten as the next president and Congress look ahead to a renewed focus on infrastructure.
There is little or no argument about the benefits of widespread adoption of broadband. It creates economic opportunity and equality. In the manufacturing sector, it is helping to power the disruptive technology—the Internet of Things, the cloud, Big Data, 3D printing, drones, etc.—that is transforming traditional businesses.
NAM members told us in a recent survey that these new technologies are increasing shop floor efficiencies, enabling new revenue streams and allowing manufacturers to move into completely different product lines. And a common link throughout all these technologies? They all run on top of our nation’s telecommunications infrastructure.
Our products and processes have become increasingly dependent on the latest telecommunications tools and networks. Many manufacturers leverage commercially available networks, and many others manage their own networks for their facilities. No matter what type of network, they are all almost entirely funded with private investment.
Unfortunately, if private investment in this piece of the infrastructure lags, our manufacturing innovation leadership will be further challenged.
The Progressive Policy Institute recently published its “Investment Heroes” report in which it ranks corporations by levels of capital spending. PPI’s primary conclusion was that these private investments raise productivity and wages across the country. It also cited a “vitally important” policy challenge to maintain investment and that was to get regulation “out of the way.”
Those of us in the manufacturing sector agree: a regulatory environment that fosters investment rather than restricts it is needed, especially when it comes to broadband. When companies are faced with a complex, mandatory regulatory regime, it severely reduces investment in infrastructure. This lack of investment will significantly lower the multiplier effect technology has on our industry, the people we employ and the products we create.
Manufacturers are disruptors. We disrupt products and processes. We disrupt markets. We disrupt our own enterprises based on the needs of our customers. We disrupt because that’s what it takes to compete. We disrupt because it drives growth in our businesses and our ability to create jobs.
Disruption is not a new concept for manufacturers or any other industry that strives to outperform its competition. Disruption is a concept we embrace. We don’t do it to have onlookers say you’re crazy. We do it because our industry knows that if we are not driving the disruption, it will drive us out of business.
Technology is the latest disruptor inside the manufacturing sector. This is no secret. Technology has been driving change in our industry for decades. However, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) wanted to better understand just how much technology was disrupting our members. We wanted to know what it means for their business and, if it changes, how they think about you, their customers. So, we asked them and wanted to share with you what we found.
The results from our recent survey of NAM members says that manufacturers are investing in disruptive technologies for many reasons. It is improving shop floor efficiency, speeding up time to market, creating new revenue streams and driving future business.
We also found out a few barriers to investing in disruptive technologies—two of which include a mismatch of skills and the overreach of government regulation.
Additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, the cloud, big data, drones, robotics and the Internet of Things are just some of the disruptive technologies being leveraged by the manufacturing sector. The NAM is focused on educating lawmakers in Washington so they understand how it’s so easy to create an environment that fosters the growth of disruptive technologies in manufacturing rather than creating an “anything goes” policy environment.
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