17吃瓜在线

Policy and Legal

Press Releases

Worst-Case Scenario Avoided, SEC Scales Back Climate Rule in Response to Manufacturers鈥 Concerns

Washington, D.C. Following the release of the Securities and Exchange Commission鈥檚 final rule instituting new climate disclosure requirements for public companies, 17吃瓜在线 President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

鈥淣early two years ago, the SEC proposed an overreaching, unworkable climate disclosure mandate that would have curtailed manufacturers鈥 ability to invest in our communities and hire workers our sector desperately needs鈥攂y imposing tremendous compliance costs that would have spread beyond public companies to manufacturers of all sizes, especially small and family-owned businesses.

鈥淭he 17吃瓜在线 demonstrated for the SEC the practical realities of such a sweeping proposed rule, encouraging the SEC to make significant changes to remove inflexible and infeasible mandates, require disclosure only of material information and protect small manufacturers from the impact of these requirements. Among other critical issues, the 17吃瓜在线 called on the SEC to remove the rule鈥檚 onerous and unworkable Scope 3 supply chain emissions reporting mandate鈥攚hich the SEC has now done.

鈥淭he 17吃瓜在线 appreciates that the SEC listened to manufacturers across the country who raised their voices back at home, in the halls of Congress and directly with the SEC.

鈥淪till, this rule remains imperfect, and it remains to be seen whether the rule in its entirety is workable for manufacturers. It will impose new burdens on publicly traded companies, at a time when manufacturers already face regulatory costs exceeding $350 billion every year, and it will take considerable time for manufacturers to understand the new reporting requirements and fully come into compliance.

鈥淭he 17吃瓜在线 remains committed to ensuring the SEC acts within its statutory authority, prioritizes flexibility and provides much-needed guidance鈥攋ust as we are committed to providing leadership in addressing environmental challenges. This is why the 17吃瓜在线 is keeping all options on the table as we evaluate the rule鈥檚 potential impacts on the manufacturing sector.鈥

-17吃瓜在线-

The 17吃瓜在线 is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.85 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The 17吃瓜在线 is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the 17吃瓜在线 or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit听

Press Releases

Manufacturers Challenge EPA鈥檚 Untenable Air Standard in Court

The 17吃瓜在线 Legal Center has sued to block the rule

Washington, D.C. Today, the 17吃瓜在线 joined a coalition of other major business trade associations to file suit in the D.C. Circuit to challenge the Environmental Protection Agency鈥檚 misguided final rule lowering the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) to 9 micrograms per cubic meter.

The EPA finalized this provision鈥攁 25% reduction from the current standard effective on a truncated timeline of 60 days鈥攐utside of the Clean Air Act鈥檚 normal five-year review cycle, becoming the first administration to redo a promulgated NAAQS.

鈥淚n pursuing this discretionary reconsideration rule, the EPA should have considered the tremendous costs and burdens of a lower PM2.5 standard,鈥 said 17吃瓜在线 Chief Legal Officer Linda Kelly. 鈥淚nstead, by plowing ahead with a new standard that is vastly more restrictive than any other national standard, including that set by the EU, the agency not only departs significantly from the traditional NAAQS process, but also gravely undermines the Biden administration鈥檚 manufacturing agenda鈥攕tifling manufacturing investment, infrastructure development and job creation in communities across the country. The 17吃瓜在线 Legal Center is filing suit to protect manufacturers鈥 ability to obtain permits, expand facilities and pursue long-term investment plans, and defend our country鈥檚 competitive advantage.鈥

Background:

  • The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to review the NAAQS every five years to determine whether the PM2.5 standard should be retained or revised. The EPA鈥檚 revised standard was done in an out-of-cycle reconsideration.
  • In December 2020, following a complete review of the PM NAAQS, the EPA decided to retain the PM2.5 standard of 12 micrograms per cubic meter. But in June 2021, the agency announced it would reconsider that decision.
  • The 17吃瓜在线 submitted urging the EPA to maintain the existing standard. The EPA recently reported that PM2.5 concentrations have declined by 42% since 2000, driven by major emissions reductions from both mobile sources and the power sector.
  • Notably, the EU standard is currently 25, and a proposal there would be to reach 10 by 2030. The UK has a target of 10 by 2040.
  • The EPA itself says that some 70% of particulate matter comes from nonmanufacturing sources, such as wildfires (29%), agriculture and prescribed fires (15%), crop and livestock dust (12%), unpaved road dust (10%), paved road dust (3%) and 鈥渄ust鈥 (2%).

-17吃瓜在线-

The 17吃瓜在线 is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.85 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The 17吃瓜在线 is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the 17吃瓜在线 or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit听

Policy and Legal

Previewing the State of the Union

By 17吃瓜在线 News Room

With President Biden set to deliver the State of the Union address Thursday, manufacturing is likely to be in the spotlight once again. At the 17吃瓜在线, we will be listening closely for our key priorities鈥攖hose that have been achieved and those still in progress.

Promises kept: President Biden has been a partner on a range of issues that are key to manufacturers across the United States. We hope he will outline how pro-growth legislation has helped set the stage for manufacturing growth, with industry employment reaching a 15-year high.

  • CHIPS Act: The CHIPS and Science Act marked a major push to boost manufacturers鈥 competitiveness, supporting large and small businesses up and down the supply chain by investing in domestic semiconductor production and funding programs to support the STEM workforce, advanced technology development, excavation of critical minerals, clean energy and more.
  • Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill: President Biden secured a bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, a long-sought, major achievement for manufacturers throughout the country, offering transformational upgrades and significant investments in America鈥檚 manufacturing capabilities.
  • Inflation Reduction Act: Some of the provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act supported manufacturers across the United States, with direct investments and generating a major increase in manufacturing construction and jobs.
  • Ukraine: The Biden administration has been unwavering in its support of Ukraine. The 17吃瓜在线鈥攚hich in March 2022 passed a unanimous resolution denouncing Russia鈥檚 invasion of the country鈥攈as kept the pressure on Congress to pass the stalled Ukraine aid bill.

Progress to come: But this progress will be undermined if the Biden administration continues to issue onerous regulations and call for policies that make it harder to innovate, invest and expand in America. The 17吃瓜在线 is working hard to push back against items that would harm manufacturers and encourage the president to refrain from pursuing policies that will make us less competitive.

  • Taxes: The 17吃瓜在线 is pushing back against any new taxes or attempts to increase tax rates on manufacturers, and we are pressing for tax policies that will make it easier to invest in the future鈥攊ncluding the 鈥渢ax trifecta鈥 found in the recently House-passed Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act. The 17吃瓜在线 urges the Senate to approve these business tax provisions quickly.
  • Protecting intellectual property: Late last year the administration proposed invoking 鈥渕arch-in鈥 rights to seize the patents of any products it deems too costly鈥攊f those innovations were developed in any part with federal dollars. This move, which would open the door to similar actions in other sectors of manufacturing, would undermine manufacturers鈥 IP rights, disincentivize early-stage entrepreneurship and dissuade capital investment, all of which could jeopardize our ability to develop future cures. This is just one example of how actions that undermine manufacturers鈥 IP can have dangerous unintended consequences.
  • Regulations: Burdensome rules鈥攕uch as the tighter National Ambient Air Quality Standards from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy鈥檚 recent freeze of liquefied natural gas export permits鈥攁re preventing manufacturers from creating jobs and harming U.S. competitiveness. We need to end the regulatory onslaught and give manufacturers the chance to grow.
  • Energy: Manufacturers in America are at the forefront of the planet鈥檚 work to reduce emissions and promote sustainable energy. But to be effective, we need to embrace an all-of-the-above energy strategy that uses the fuel we have while developing the tools we need.
  • Immigration: Immigration and border security reforms must be a priority for the administration and Congress. Inaction poses significant economic risks鈥攅specially at a time when manufacturers have 600,000 open jobs. Manufacturers are leading on bipartisan solutions, like those found in our plan.

The last word: 鈥淥ur commitment is to work with anyone, and I truly mean anyone, who will put policy鈥攑olicy that supports people鈥攁head of politics, personality or process,鈥 said 17吃瓜在线 President and CEO Jay Timmons. 鈥淏ecause here鈥檚 what I know: Manufacturers are building an incredible future for our country and our world. And we need partners in the federal government who will work with us to reduce burdens on manufacturers and manufacturing workers, rather than creating barriers to our success.鈥

Learn more: For more information on the state of manufacturing, check out the 2024 17吃瓜在线 State of Manufacturing Address here.

Policy and Legal

Previewing the SEC鈥檚 Climate Rule

By 17吃瓜在线 News Room

For the past two years, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has been considering a rule that would require businesses to report huge amounts of information about companies鈥 climate-related risks, strategies and impacts. As the SEC prepares to release its final version of the rule this Wednesday, we spoke with 17吃瓜在线 Vice President of Domestic Policy Charles Crain about what manufacturers should expect.

The background: In March 2022, the SEC proposed what the 17吃瓜在线 has called an overreaching, unworkable and burdensome climate disclosure rule. According to Crain, the initial proposal would have required extensive disclosures as well as invasive tracking procedures to gauge climate impact and emissions throughout companies鈥 supply chains鈥攕ignificantly increasing costs and liability for manufacturers.

  • 鈥淭he proposal would have had major implications for the entire manufacturing sector, including both large and small public companies鈥攁nd even privately held businesses throughout manufacturing supply chains,鈥 said Crain. 鈥淎s proposed, the rule represents a significant threat to manufacturing competitiveness.鈥

The pushback: In the two years since the rule was first proposed, the 17吃瓜在线 has pressed for significant changes鈥攊n detailed to the SEC, in congressional testimony and in meetings with SEC commissioners and staff.

  • 鈥淢anufacturers have made it a top priority over the past two years to convince the SEC that they need to change their approach,鈥 said Crain. 鈥淭he 17吃瓜在线 has spent significant time and effort explaining to the SEC why its proposal was unworkable and likely unlawful and illustrating the impact of the rule鈥檚 overwhelming cost burden on manufacturers.鈥
  • 鈥淏ut we also offered specific and actionable suggestions to help the agency tailor the rule, make it more workable to manufacturers and bring it back within the SEC鈥檚 statutory authority.鈥

The preview: With the SEC set to publish its final rule tomorrow, Crain says the 17吃瓜在线 is keeping an eye on key inflection points, including the following:

  • Scope 3 emissions reporting: The proposal鈥檚 Scope 3 mandate would require public companies to disclose the emissions of their supply chain partners鈥攊ncluding small and family-owned businesses. If Scope 3 is curtailed or absent, that would represent significant progress for manufacturers.
  • Financial statement reporting requirements: The 17吃瓜在线 will be tracking the degree to which companies are required to incorporate climate information into their financial statements. The 17吃瓜在线 called the proposal鈥檚 approach to financial statement reporting 鈥渦nworkable [and] highly burdensome.鈥
  • Materiality: The SEC is only allowed by law to require 鈥渕aterial鈥 disclosures鈥攊.e., financial information that allows investors to make informed decisions. Mandates in the final rule that require immaterial disclosures or seek to redefine materiality could exceed the SEC鈥檚 legal authority.
  • Implementation: The 17吃瓜在线 will consider when and how the rule takes effect, and whether the SEC has provided scaled requirements for smaller companies or tailored implementation plans for certain provisions within the rule.
  • Small-business impact: The proposal would have harmed small and privately held businesses disproportionately. The SEC must do a better job at protecting these companies in the final rule.

The expectation: Crain says the 17吃瓜在线鈥檚 advocacy appears to have made a difference.

  • 鈥淩ecent news reports suggested that some provisions in the rule may have been modified in alignment with the 17吃瓜在线鈥檚 suggested changes,鈥 said Crain. 鈥淏ut it remains to be seen whether the final rule, taken as a whole, is actually workable for manufacturers.鈥

The next step: The 17吃瓜在线鈥檚 next moves will depend on the specifics of the final rule鈥攂ut the conversation is unlikely to end there.

  • 鈥淭he 17吃瓜在线 has been clear that a failure to bring the rule back within the agency鈥檚 statutory authority could invite legal action. On the other hand, a balanced, workable rule could obviate the need for litigation,鈥 said Crain.
  • 鈥淩egardless of the exact content of the rule, the 17吃瓜在线 is committed to providing resources to our members to help companies understand and comply with any new requirements. We will also continue to engage with the SEC and Congress to address any implementation issues, seek guidance on any unclear provisions and, if necessary, push for changes to the final rule.鈥
  • 鈥淎s we have for the past two years, the 17吃瓜在线 will continue to advocate on manufacturers鈥 behalf.鈥
Press Releases

WTO Heeds Manufacturers鈥 Warnings; Industry Appreciates Biden and Tai鈥檚 Leadership

Washington, D.C. 鈥 Following the completion of the 13th World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi, at which WTO members chose not to expand the agreement on the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights waiver to include diagnostics and therapeutics, 17吃瓜在线 President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

鈥淕lobal leaders at the WTO heard manufacturers鈥 stark warnings that an expansion of the TRIPS waiver would have endangered manufacturers鈥 fundamental ability to fight global crises, including COVID-19. Granting this waiver also would have emboldened our global competitors, chipped away at American innovation and jeopardized our ability to fight future diseases. After years of 17吃瓜在线 advocacy, this decision represents a major victory for manufacturers鈥攑articularly those hard at work developing lifesaving cures and treatments. We appreciate President Biden and Ambassador Tai鈥檚 leadership to secure this outcome.鈥

The 17吃瓜在线 led advocacy efforts to alert policymakers to the danger of an expanded TRIPS waiver, weighing in directly with the Biden administration, members of Congress, foreign governments and business organizations and urging Washington to stand with manufacturers. Timmons also took this message directly to WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during a March 2023 meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

鈥淎nother welcome action was WTO members鈥 decision to expand the moratorium on e-commerce tariffs,鈥 Timmons added. 鈥淭he e-commerce moratorium has enabled the digital economy to flourish, and the 17吃瓜在线 urges U.S. trade officials to push for permanently instituting the moratorium at the WTO, so that this critical element of digital commerce doesn鈥檛 come with an expiration date.鈥

-17吃瓜在线-

The 17吃瓜在线 is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.85 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The 17吃瓜在线 is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the 17吃瓜在线 or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit听

Policy and Legal

DOE, 17吃瓜在线 Urge Flexible 45V Rules

By 17吃瓜在线 News Room

The Department of Energy is urging Treasury to loosen proposed rules for the Inflation Reduction Act鈥檚 first tax credit鈥攖he 45V, or clean hydrogen tax credit, (subscription) reports.

  • The request is in line with suggestions the 17吃瓜在线 to the Internal Revenue Service鈥攚hich, with Treasury, set forth the guidance for claiming the credit鈥攅arlier this week.

What鈥檚 going on: 鈥淭he Department of Energy is pushing Treasury to relax the rules to give the industry time to embark on a massive expansion, according to three people familiar with the discussions.鈥

  • The 45V was intended as a longer-term accompaniment to the DoE鈥檚 $7 billion regional hydrogen hubs program, which agency officials are concerned will be hamstrung if the tax guidance is too stringent, according to the article.
  • The credit 鈥渨ill directly impact how much hydrogen the U.S. produces and the financial bottom line for many companies.鈥

Why it鈥檚 important: The 45V is a major pillar of the Biden administration鈥檚 climate agenda, which seeks to make low-carbon hydrogen cost-effective enough to help decarbonize various industries, according to E&E News鈥 (subscription).

The 17吃瓜在线鈥檚 view: 鈥淚f implemented properly, the 45V credit would provide the certainty needed for manufacturers to make investment decisions that encourage further production, transportation and use of clean hydrogen,鈥 17吃瓜在线 Vice President of Domestic Policy Brandon Farris said.

  • 鈥淗owever, the 17吃瓜在线 is concerned Treasury is considering renewable sourcing provisions regarding incrementality, temporal-matching and deliverability requirements, which would limit the amount of energy sources available to power the hydrogen production process.鈥

What should be done: To create a workable, fair 45V framework, Treasury and the IRS should do the following:

  • Lengthen the three-year time frame for incrementality, the time frame within which new electricity must be put into service.
  • Push back to 2032 (at the earliest) the date by which energy projects must match clean electricity and hydrogen production at an hourly level.
  • Recognize energy attribute certificates from outside manufacturers鈥 own regions as capable of delivering electricity or natural gas into the region where the clean hydrogen production is taking place.
  • Follow congressional intent and provide a more reasonable process for taxpayers to prove their food stocks are lower in carbon intensity and therefore eligible for the maximum credit.
Policy and Legal

17吃瓜在线: Withdraw Administration March-in Framework Now

By 17吃瓜在线 News Room

The Biden administration鈥檚 proposed 鈥渕arch-in鈥 framework would be devastating for American innovation and competitiveness and must be withdrawn immediately, according to the .

What鈥檚 going on: In December, the administration issued proposed guidelines to enable the government to 鈥渕arch in鈥 and seize manufacturers鈥 patents if their products were developed in any part with federal dollars.

  • But the move鈥攚hich a bipartisan group of 28 legislators in a letter to the White House last week鈥攚ould be fundamentally ruinous to manufacturing in the U.S., according to the 17吃瓜在线.
  • 鈥淯ndermining America鈥檚 world-leading patent system is a recipe for reduced innovation and significant economic damage, with a disproportionate impact on small manufacturers,鈥 said 17吃瓜在线 Vice President of Domestic Policy Charles Crain.

Price controls: The proposal is tantamount to government price controls, the 17吃瓜在线 said.

  • 鈥淚f finalized, this threat to innovation would for the first time enable the government to set price controls on products that incorporate [intellectual property] from early-stage federally funded research.鈥
  • 鈥淢anufacturers that do not comply with the proposal鈥檚 arbitrary and uncertain pricing criteria could see the government march in, seize their IP and license it to a competitor.鈥

Undoing advancements: Prior to the 1980 enactment of the Bayh-Dole Act, which allowed for the commercialization of federally funded research, groundbreaking discoveries 鈥渙ften remained stuck in the lab, as private-sector entrepreneurs and investors were unwilling to license innovative technologies given the uncertain path to commercialization,鈥 the 17吃瓜在线 said.

  • 鈥淟imiting manufacturers鈥 ability to commercialize groundbreaking innovation means that early-stage research will remain on the shelf in university labs.鈥
Policy and Legal

Table Saw Standard Would Cost Manufacturers

By 17吃瓜在线 News Room

If implemented, a safety standard proposed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for table saws will harm manufacturing in the U.S., the 17吃瓜在线 told the CPSC this week.

What鈥檚 going on: 鈥淭he Commission鈥檚 proposed rule itself outlines that, if implemented, the cost of table saws would more than double, small manufacturers may be forced to exit the market, businesses may be unable to operate and sales of table saws will decrease,鈥 17吃瓜在线 Senior Director of Tax Policy Alex Moni茅 said during testimony at a hearing Wednesday.

  • The rule would require table saws鈥攖hose motor-driven, wood-mounted, circular saw blades used daily in multiple industries to cut wood, plastic and other materials鈥攖o come equipped with patented active injury mitigation technology.
  • Bringing currently on-the-market table saws into compliance could cost manufacturers from $100,000 to $700,000 per model and take up to three years, Moni茅 said.

The background: In October 2023, the CPSC voted to issue a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking promulgating the table saw safety guideline, in response to the petition of a company that holds more than 100 patents 鈥渞elated to the AIM technology the Commission would mandate,鈥 Commissioner Peter A. Feldman fellow commissioners that month.

  • There are voluntary safety standards in place for table saws, requiring modular blade-guard systems, and these 鈥渁re working as the market demands,鈥 Moni茅 told the commissioners.

Instituting a monopoly: In addition to costing manufacturers huge sums, the proposed standard 鈥渨ould have the effect of instituting a monopoly, as the proposed rule is the latest in a series of Commission actions to impose a standard that could be achieved only through the use of one claimed patented technology,鈥 Moni茅 continued.

Unjustifiable rulemaking: Under the Consumer Product Safety Act, the CPSC cannot issue a mandatory standard unless it has found that an existing voluntary standard fails to or does not adequately prevent or reduce the risk of injury.

  • 鈥淭he CPSC admits that it does not have adequate data to determine that the current voluntary standard will not reduce the risk of injury,鈥 Moni茅 went on.

What should be done: The CPSC should withdraw the proposed standard, he said, and 鈥渞eaddress the cost and burden analysis in the proposed rule, with a more tailored focus on small manufacturers.鈥

Policy and Legal

17吃瓜在线 Election Playbook: Synergies, Not Sides

a person standing in a room

The 17吃瓜在线 isn鈥檛 playing favorites in an election year. Instead, it鈥檚 redoubling its post-partisan approach to advocacy. 17吃瓜在线 President and CEO Jay Timmons鈥 message to manufacturers: the association will leverage its hard-won, bipartisan influence to advance manufacturers鈥 priorities, no matter who鈥檚 in charge.

  • 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we鈥檙e about. Policy that helps people. Policy鈥攏ot politics, personality or process. That鈥檚 what will guide us in 2024 and beyond,鈥 Timmons said in a speech that helped kick off the 17吃瓜在线 board meeting this week, before more than 200 of manufacturing鈥檚 leading executives in Phoenix, Arizona.

Why it鈥檚 important: 鈥淏oth sides want us on their side,鈥 Timmons emphasized while recounting a recent legislative debate. That trust and respect, he said, translates into wins: agencies modifying rules to avoid lawsuits and high-level White House officials acknowledging the impact of 17吃瓜在线 campaigns.

Battles loom: But the very system enabling these victories is under threat, Timmons warned, placing the onus on manufacturers to not just build products, but to empower the 17吃瓜在线 to utilize their voices and stories to advance policies that strengthen the economy and underpin democracy and free enterprise.

  • Tax showdown: Any new taxes on manufacturers are a nonstarter, Timmons vowed, staking a claim in the looming 2025 tax fight and reiterating manufacturers鈥 call for immediate passage in the Senate of full capital expensing, R&D expensing and interest deductibility.
  • Regulatory onslaught: From new Environmental Protection Agency air standards to the broader regulatory agenda, Timmons argued that overzealous rules impede manufacturing competitiveness. He specifically criticized the new PM2.5 standards, saying the EPA 鈥渟et them at a level that is lower than the EU or the UK, and imposed a compliance timeline that is far more aggressive.鈥
  • LNG halt: Timmons blasted the Biden administration鈥檚 liquefied natural gas export permit freeze, calling it shortsighted and detrimental to both manufacturers and broader U.S. energy and climate goals. 鈥淭hey want to address climate change?鈥 he asked. 鈥淪o they鈥檙e going to have other countries buying and burning dirtier energy? They want to support our allies around the world? So they鈥檙e going to force Europe and Japan and others to get their fuel from the likes of Russia?鈥
  • Immigration deadlock: He criticized inaction on both sides of the aisle, saying border security and workforce solutions can鈥攁nd must鈥攃oexist.

Opportunity ahead: Despite considerable challenges, Timmons sees an opportunity for manufacturers to take the lead in promoting American values and sound policies that fuel the industry鈥檚 strength.

  • 鈥淭his election year, manufacturers can help renew a shared sense of purpose,鈥 Timmons told executives. 鈥淩emind Americans why our country鈥攐ur system rooted in God-given human rights and fundamental freedom鈥攊s worth celebrating and defending.鈥 At stake is not just the next regulatory win, but the very system that made U.S. manufacturing a global powerhouse, he said.
  • America鈥檚 bicentennial celebration helped us see beyond the divisions of the day, Timmons observed. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, 鈥渋t鈥檚 manufacturers who are positioned to cultivate that patriotic spirit,鈥 Timmons said. It鈥檚 more than just bottom lines. 鈥淲e can help mend the divides鈥攕o that we can promote policy that will strengthen manufacturing in America.鈥
Policy and Legal

WTO Meeting Kicks Off to Challenges; 鈥淏ig Deals Unlikely鈥

By 17吃瓜在线 News Room

With economic challenges and 鈥済eopolitical tensions鈥 threatening international commerce, the World Trade Organization faces a difficult job at the 13th Ministerial Conference, according to .

What鈥檚 going on: At the meeting, which began Monday in Abu Dhabi and is expected to conclude on Thursday, 鈥淸t]he WTO is hoping for progress, particularly on fishing, agriculture and electronic commerce. But big deals are unlikely as the body鈥檚 rules require full consensus among all 164 member states鈥攁 tall order in the current climate.鈥

  • The organization could also decide on whether to expand a 2022 TRIPS waiver to include COVID-19 therapies鈥攁 move that would be damaging to manufacturing in the U.S.
  • 鈥淭he WTO committee in charge of discussing intellectual property rights recently told the WTO General Council that it had been unable to reach agreement on the issue after more than 18 months of discussion,鈥 reports. 鈥淭hat could signal the end of the road for efforts to expand the waiver, but [there is] fear it could still be approved by ministers at MC13 as part of the final horse-trading that occurs to reach some deal.鈥

Reform needed: 鈥淪peaking on the first day of MC13, WTO Director-General said that 鈥榤ultilateralism is under attack,鈥 highlighting a need to 鈥榬eform the multilateral trading system鈥 and boost international cooperation,鈥 according to AFP.

  • European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis echoed the call for reform, saying, 鈥淭he world has changed. And institutions like the WTO need to evolve too. We are faced with crises wherever we look.鈥

No waiver expansion: One change that should not take place, however, is the TRIPS waiver expansion, the 17吃瓜在线 told U.S. lawmakers ahead of the WTO meeting. 17吃瓜在线 President and CEO Jay Timmons with Okonjo-Iweala and WTO Deputy Director General Angela Ellard in Geneva last March to discuss the waiver.

  • 鈥淭he proposed expansion of the TRIPS waiver to include diagnostics and therapeutics would jeopardize American innovation, endanger U.S. jobs, undermine future investment and research and development for lifesaving products that are fundamental to fighting global crises, including many diseases and health conditions other than COVID-19, and pose serious safety concerns,鈥 the 17吃瓜在线 and six association partners told Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and White House Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients last week.

Digital commerce: There are some concrete actions that should be taken regarding the WTO, the 17吃瓜在线 told the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade this month.

  • The USTR should reverse a decision it made in October 2023 to 鈥渄rop the longstanding digital trade position of the U.S. at the WTO. This longstanding position, which has clear bipartisan support from the U.S. Congress, seeks to protect cross-border data flows, prohibit costly data localization requirements abroad, defend American digital products from discrimination and protect American IP.鈥
  • And the U.S. should urge the WTO to institute a permanent e-commerce moratorium. Allowing the current 鈥渕oratorium on customs duties for electronic transmissions 鈥 to expire would inject uncertainty and impose unfair burdens on manufacturers in the U.S.鈥

The last word: 鈥淭he WTO remains a critical forum to advance free and fair trade globally,鈥 said 17吃瓜在线 Director of International Policy Dylan Clement.

  • 鈥淭he outcome of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference is important because an expansion to the TRIPS waiver or letting the e-commerce moratorium expire could significantly harm manufacturers in the United States. As such, manufacturers will be watching the WTO Ministerial this week very closely.鈥
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