The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) honored four members of Washington's congressional delegation with the NAM Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence for their support of manufacturing in the 112th Congress. They voted more than 70% of the time for improving the climate for manufacturing.
The NAM Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence honors members of Congress who demonstrate support for policies that enhance the ability of U.S. manufacturers to succeed in the global economy. In the 112th Congress, 296 senators and representatives earned this distinction. They were the only four from Washington.
Congresswomen Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-3) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-5) scored a perfect 100% on the 37 votes that manufacturers identified as key measures to bring manufacturing back in the United States. Among those votes was streamlining regulations, an issue AWB members has identified as a key issue which the Washington State Legislature and new governor needs to address as well.
Congressmen Doc Hasting (R-4), chair of the powerful House Natural Resources Committee, earned the award for his 97%, and Dave Reichert (R-8) was the other recipient for voting 86% of the time for increasing manufacturing and the family wage jobs and benefits which accompany manufacturing. On the House side, the following 2012 did not receive above a 70% rating to qualify for the awards: Rick Larsen (D-2), 32%; retiring Norm DIcks (D-6), 29%; Adam Smith (D-9), 24%; and Jim McDermott (D-7), 19%.
Jay Inslee (D-1) did not receive a score because he resigned on March 20 to run for governor. That prompted a special election and Washington state will hold a special election in November to replace former U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee for just one month - an election expected to be confusing for voters, burdensome for candidates and costly for the state. In 2010 when the last NAM voting record which measured Inslee was announced, he voted
with manufacturers 39% of the time.
In the U.S. Senate there were 27 key NAM votes including one increasing taxes on small manfacturers and family-owned businesses. Washington's two Democrats, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, had identical 41% scores.
The Association of Washington Business is out state's Chamber of Commerce and Manufacturing and Technology Association. AWB was founded in 1904 and has 8,000 members across our state.
On November 28, AWB will sponsor its annual manufacturing summit where we will award our manufacturers of the year. They keynote speaker is NAM President Jay Timmons.
Don C. Brunell, President (DonB@awb.org)
