Commerce Dept. Recommends Manufacturing Assistant Secretary, President’s Council on Manufacturing

Jason Sandefur

Following a long struggle that prompted the fastener industry to establish a permanent lobbying presence in Washington, D.C., the Bush administration recommended the creation of a President�s Manufacturing Council and a new assistant commerce secretary to focus on manufacturing. The White House has been heavily criticized over its handling of the domestic economy. Commerce Secretary Don Evans dispatched international trade undersecretary Grant Aldonas to address the Industrial Fastener & Forming International Expo in Chicago last year. Aldonas tried to assure fastener and machinery manufacturers that the White House had heard their plight.

Fastener makers were part of the Consuming Industries Trade Action Coalition�s successful efforts to have Bush tariffs on steel repealed. The U.S. economy has lost about 2.8 million manufacturing jobs since 2001, including fastener positions that were shipped overseas to lower costs.

Evans� report, issued January 16, 2004, called for the elimination of foreign tariffs; implementation of a global supply chain initiative; and global promotion of U.S. technical standards.
The report received a mixed review, with business owners expressing hope that the efforts would help stimulate the manufacturing sector. Union leaders labeled the plan �absurd election-year double talk� that would roll back a decade of environmental protections without boosting business. �2004 FastenerNews.com