WRITE YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ON HEALTH CARE REFORM AMT champions the interests of the manufacturing technology industry on Capitol Hill.  We work with Congress and the Administration on issues of importance to our industry, forcefully supporting legislative and regulatory proposals that would help our industry and opposing measures that would hurt.  We also participate in, and sometimes lead, coalitions to further our industry's public policy objectives.  **A Useful Sales Tool** Expires at the end of the year! 2009 Depreciation/Expensing Fact Sheet

• Work to ensure that the Treasury Department more closely monitors how banks are using TARP funds and directs that a portion of the funds be used in the short term to facilitate and/or provide credit to U.S. manufacturers.
• Advocate expansion of the Defense Production Act’s Title III loan guarantee program to $1 billion.

• Oppose Energy and Climate Change proposals that unduly increase the regulatory burden on manufacturing technology industry suppliers and our customers, such as the "Cap and Trade" program included in the "Waxman - Markey" House energy bill.
• Identify new advanced energy technology and “green” energy initiatives within the Department of Energy and other agencies enacted as part of the economic stimulus package that encourage investment in and by the manufacturing technology industry.
• Seek funding support for manufacturing technology which will reduce the total capital cost of renewable energy systems

• Support increased staffed levels for the Ex-Im Bank and removal of the Ex-Im Bank's 25% collateral requirement for Standing Letters of Credit.
• Reform U.S. export control and licensing procedures to ease restrictions on products readily available from other Wassenaar Arrangement countries and, in some cases, from China itself.
• Reform the current visa process for more timely action on visa applications from overseas customers of U.S. industry and urge relaxation of recent H-1B visas restrictions.
• Oppose anti-competitive regulatory efforts by the U.S. Government to unilaterally block U.S. products and technology exports to China, such as five-axis machines.

• Promote extension of the 50% bonus depreciation and enhanced Sec. 179 expensing tax incentives to stimulate the economy and spur capital equipment investment.
• Move toward a tax system that lowers tax burdens on U.S. businesses; provides for the full expensing of capital purchases; exempts savings; and has the effect of border-adjustability in order to remove unfair distortions caused by foreign VATs and other foreign tax and trade laws so that U.S. companies can be competitive in the global market.
• Foster greater innovation and productivity by improving the federal R&D tax credit and making it permanent.
• Preserve family-owned businesses by permanently reforming the federal estate tax.

• Help protect workers’ rights by working with like-minded organizations, such as the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, the NAM, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in opposition to the union “Card Check” bill.
• Support legislation that allows businesses greater access to affordable health insurance for their employees.
• Immediately address the skilled labor shortage by supporting programs that encourage worker recruitment at every education level and that assist businesses in obtaining the skilled workers necessary for a team built for success, including support for H-1B visas for highly skilled and educated workers

• Support full government funding for existing manufacturing R&D programs, including Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs), the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, the Technology Innovation Program (TIP, formerly known as ATP); and the Smart Machine Platform Initiative (SMPI), as well as support creation of and funding for new federal programs to promote development of “green" and other emerging technologies.

AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology
10/24/09