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Timmons named excessive government regulation as the main worry facing manufacturers. He ran through a long list of examples, from new rules on greenhouse gas emissions to the Affordable Care Act. He said the NAM had few options other than litigation to defend its members’ interests.
“We could certainly de-escalate the legal sparring in Washington, and I would certainly welcome that, if Congress would just pass fundamental regulatory reform, based on the principles of transparency, on openness, and on sound science. Democrats and Republicans alike, it doesn’t matter what political party that they belong to in Congress, they understand that there’s a problem with the regulatory system. So if we understand that, let’s just fix the problem. And until that happens, though, I can guarantee you we’re going to continue to head to court.”
Timmons said manufacturers also face a shortage of workers with adequate training science, technology, engineering, and math. He said more than 80% of manufacturers report they have jobs going unfilled due to the gap in STEM skills.
