Issue Position: Manufacturing and Our Auto Industry

Issue Position

The auto industry and manufacturing have been the backbone of our Michigan economy. They have also been responsible for creating a middle class in America.

issues_manufacturingToday, a vibrant middle class and the American way of life are being threatened as manufacturing jobs hang in the balance by the millions. In the last six years alone, the U.S. has lost over 3 million manufacturing jobs. We must act now and our actions must be bold.

In Congress, I will support the American Manufacturing Initiative (AMI), spearheaded by Senator Levin and Congressman Dingell. The AMI recognizes that our manufacturers are not just competing against foreign companies but rather they are competing against entire foreign countries that aggressively support their manufacturers. We must do the same.

We must make China and Korea play by international rules and we must demand that the world trade organization (WTO) address non-tariff barriers that prevent the importation of U.S. made products into their markets. In Congress, I will demand the President pursue cases in the WTO against China and Japan under WTO rules that prohibit the use of currency manipulation to gain unfair trade advantages. I will also work to ensure that the U.S. Trade Representative's Annual National Trade Estimate report include as defined trade barriers: currency misalignment, non-ILO labor practices and weak or non-existent environmental standards.

Michigan manufacturers and our workers can successfully compete against any competitor in the world but the rules of the game must be fair.

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