Rep. Turner's 10 Manufacturing Principles

Rep. Turner's 10 Manufacturing Principles

Recently, I have toured a number of manufacturing facilities throughout the District, including: Alkermes Inc., a high-tech health care manufacturing company in Wilmington; AM General, in Franklin, the company that produces the engines for military Humvees; and Lord Corporation, in Dayton, which creates component parts for commercial and military aircraft In addition to visiting with these and other manufacturers throughout the District, I have sponsored two Manufacturing Forums and met with many national manufacturing organizations. Based on what manufacturers are telling me, I have developed the following 10 manufacturing principles that will encourage and help manufacturing:

Rep Turner's Manufacturing Principles

1. Reducing regulatory burden: We need to create a more hospitable business environment by simplifying and streamlining processes. We should improve the relationship between businesses and the federal government. We need to reduce bureaucratic red-tape to ensure that well-intentioned compliance requirements do not have the unintended effect of reducing jobs.

2. Increasing incentives for research and development: The government needs to encourage research and development and move the ideas from the laboratory to the marketplace. Technology advances discovered by NASA, Defense agencies and other federal science programs have been transferred to make the workplace more friendly and efficient, lowered the prices for everything from the cars we drive to the computers we use. We can foster innovation by not only making the Research and Experimentation Tax Credit permanent but also creating new ways to incentivize new technology.

3. Reducing contingent liabilities: Law suit abuse has become a problem for many businesses. As a matter of principle, companies should be spending less on litigation and more on innovation.

4. Decreasing health care costs: Paying employee health care costs create competitive disadvantages for many US manufacturers. The House has already voted to establish association health plans. The house has already passed the Small Business Health Fairness Act (H.R. 660). The House has already passed legislation to expand medical saving accounts that allow people to put money in savings accounts, tax-free, to be used later for health crises. The Senate must now vote to enact these measures.

5. Decreasing energy costs: Energy policies are an essential part of the economy. Manufacturers cannot grow without reliable, cost efficient sources of energy. We must put an end to our dependence on Middle Eastern and OPEC sources of energy. For too-long we've been at the mercy of nations and leaders that neither respects our democracy nor our way of life. We cannot solely conserve nor drill our way out of the energy problem. We need a comprehensive energy policy that rewards conservation, permits responsible energy exploration and refining, and creates incentives for finding renewable and alternative energy sources. I've voted for three such House Energy Acts.

6. Enforcing US commitments to buy American: The U.S. government should use American tax dollars to buy American made products whenever possible. Therefore, I am an original sponsor of H.R. 4946, which would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from procuring certain items directly related to the national security unless the items are grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States. We must also work to increase our enforcement of existing "Buy American" laws.

7. Developing the American work-force: American innovation has driven our economy since the early days of the nation's history. No where is this more true than in the Miami Valley. The city of Dayton, is the birthplace of flight, the invention of the cash register and numerous other inventions. To ensure America's continued leadership in the world, we must invest in the fields of physical sciences and engineering.

8. Encourage "best practices" in manufacturing. We should help businesses communicate with one another to develop best practices especially in the small business and manufacturing sectors.

9. Increase domestic intellectual property rights: We need to ensure that intellectual property remains with its owner. The federal government should protect business and their technology.

10. Increase protections against unfair trade (anti dumping, countervailing duties): Economic isolationism is not viable in the 21st century. The key is providing a level playing field so American manufacturers have the opportunity to compete fairly in the global economy. This means Congress and the President must continue to work to open new markets for American products. With a level playing field, American manufacturers, and American families will prosper.

Taking action on each of these ten principles will improve the manufacturing environment. This will help our regional economic picture to grow faster and more in line with the current national trend.

http://www.house.gov/miketurner/news/columns/10.6.06.shtml