backWASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2016 — As co-sponsors of the 2016 U.S. Manufacturing and Public Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., King & Spalding is helping lead the way in creating and developing a blueprint for maintaining the competitiveness of the nation’s manufacturing sector.
The nonpartisan gathering, which took place at The National Press Club on September 14, was convened to produce immediate, concrete policy steps for the next U.S. president. King & Spalding partner and international trade lawyer Gil Kaplan, co-founder of the Initiative on U.S. Manufacturing and Public Policy, describes the event as a “unique opportunity” for the manufacturing sector and policymakers to come together and come up with a plan to revitalize U.S. manufacturing.
“Both presidential campaigns are talking about manufacturing and we are coming up with a menu of the best solutions,” Kaplan said.
Top industry executives, political leaders, small business and trade union leaders, researchers and policymakers met and discussed policy issues relating to international trade, China, and the TPP; manufacturing’s role in national security; the impact that education, regulatory reform, and tax policy have on manufacturing; and innovation, entrepreneurship and energy. The results of the discussions will be delivered in position papers to the Democratic and Republican presidential campaign teams this fall.
Among the provocative ideas under discussion: putting all U.S. trade talks on hold for one year to examine their impact on U.S. manufacturing.
The U.S. Manufacturing and Public Policy Initiative is an interdisciplinary program launched by Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) in 2015, and the impetus for this conference.
The group offered and debated specific proposals for the next U.S. administration. Among the ideas discussed were:
International Trade – Pause Trade Talks for One Year during which a bipartisan high-level commission would review all aspects of U.S. trade policy and their impact on U.S. manufacturing.
National Security – Remove Incentives for Off-shoring that have led to offshore defense manufacturing. Promote “Made in America” purchases by the Department of Defense.
Education – Boost Vocational Education spending so that federal funding puts equal emphasis on vocational education and training, including work-based learning.
Regulatory Reform – Strengthen the Interagency Regulatory Review Process to ensure that regulations do more good than harm, and streamline the permitting process.
Tax Policy – Cut Business Taxes to align the federal tax rate on corporate and non-corporate taxpayers with an internationally competitive level.
Innovation and Energy – Increase Funding for Innovation to enhance research related to manufacturing and put the U.S. in line with competitor nations.
Mike Petters, President and CEO of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), the nation’s largest military shipbuilding company with 35,000 employees, offered his long-term vision as the conference keynote speaker.
Distinguished presenters and panelists at the conference included:
- Brigadier General John Adams, U.S. Army, Retired
- Norman Augustine, former CEO, Lockheed Martin
- Elana Broitman, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manufacturing
- U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Surrogate for Hillary Clinton
- Dan DiMicco, former CEO Nucor Corporation, Senior Trump advisor
- Leo Gerard, President, United Steel Workers
- Ralph Gomory, former SVP for Science and Technology, IBM
- Jason Miller, Deputy Assistant to the President, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, and White House Coordinator for Manufacturing
- U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Senior Trump advisor
- Gene Sperling, Outside Economic Advisor to Hillary Clinton and former Director of the National Economic Council
- Sue Smith, Vice President for Technology and Applied Sciences Division, Ivy Tech Community College
This conference was convened by The Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs Initiative on U.S. Manufacturing and Public Policy.
In addition to King & Spalding, other sponsors for the event include: Alliance for American Manufacturing, Committee to Support U.S. Trade Laws, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation, and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
For more on the Conference and its participants, please visit: https://spea.indiana.edu/mpp/2016-conference.html
About King & Spalding
Celebrating more than 130 years of service, King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with 900 lawyers in 18 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm has handled matters in over 160 countries on six continents and is consistently recognized for the results it obtains, uncompromising commitment to quality, and dedication to understanding the business and culture of its clients. More information is available at www.kslaw.com.