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The Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) is dedicated to the well-being of the North American Metals industry, including the entire value chain of metals producers, processors, distributors, and end users. As a consequence, MSCI's public advocacy efforts are focused on a long-term campaign to preserve and expand the North American manufacturing base. To that end, MSCI will take these actions: 1. MSCI will continue to raise awareness of the crisis in durable goods manufacturing through its Town Hall Meeting series. MSCI's campaign to save North American manufacturing began in the second half of 2003. Town hall meetings have been held in Chicago, Charlotte, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and Kansas City, and more of these public forums will be held in 2004 in Boston, Houston, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and elsewhere. We believe town hall meetings are an important way to spread information about the causes of the consumer durable and capital goods crisis and to organize support for specific items of legislation that help support manufacturing. 2. MSCI will continue to oppose currency manipulation by U.S. trading partners. MSCI was an early member of the Coalition for a Strong Dollar and the Fair Currency Alliance (FCA). Both groups seek to identify and end currency manipulation by such trading partners as Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China . MSCI has taken a leadership position within the FCA in support of filing a Section 301 complaint against Chinese currency manipulation with the U.S. Trade Representative. Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 is the principal manner under federal law by which the U.S. may impose trade sanctions against foreign countries that follow practices or policies that violate trade agreements. In particular, it is MSCI's belief that China, by rigidly pegging the value of its currency, the Yuan, to that of the U.S. dollar, has deliberately undervalued its currency for the purpose of mercantile advantage, in violation of trade agreements. As a member of FCA, MSCI will continue to pursue a Section 301 case and any other appropriate alternatives to combat currency manipulation. 3. MSCI will continue to support legislation to achieve a level playing field and free and fair global trade. There is ample evidence that in many markets, the deck is stacked against U.S. manufacturers because of foreign government subsidies, tariffs, and sanctions that make it difficult or impossible for North American goods and services to compete. China, for example, does not protect rights to intellectual property, and U.S. and Canadian companies lose billions of dollars annually in royalties and sales because of this. MSCI does not favor protectionist legislation. However, MSCI believes trade agreements and U.S. laws that open markets to competition and that respond to unfair or illegal trading practices must be enforced and strengthened. As one example, MSCI supports legislation that would permit the application of countervailing duties to imports from non-market economies. Countervailing duties are an important way to help level the trade playing field, but only if they are applied. MSCI will support legislation and administration activities that move the U.S. towards full enforcement of the fair trade provisions of all of its trading agreements and laws. 4. MSCI will continue to support legislation that lowers the structural cost of doing business in the U.S. A study by the National Association of Manufacturers found that on average, the structural cost of doing business is 22% higher in the U.S. than it is for our global trading partners. That disparity means that many manufacturers are uncompetitive, no matter how efficient their processes or how vigorous their efforts to cut costs. MSCI generally supports those initiatives by NAM, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and others that seek to lower the cost of doing business. In particular, MSCI supports reductions in the cost of responding to government regulations, litigation, and health care as three major area of expense. This is why MSCI asked members to support legislation to blunt the impact of “jurisdiction shopping” for class action lawsuits. MSCI will continue to identify and support legislation that addresses and lowers business costs.
5. MSCI will support legislation to encourage research, development and innovation by North American businesses. The U.S. private sector is known for creativity and innovations that lead to high-value new businesses, processes, and opportunities. MSCI will continue to identify and support legislation and regulations that encourage research and development, educational opportunity, workforce training, and other activities that add value and create new business opportunities. 6. MSCI will take a leadership role in creating new forums for member access to important political leaders. MSCI will develop a series of opportunities for senior MSCI–member executives to meet with important political leaders to discuss significant public policy questions. In particular, MSCI is in the process of developing a lunch/dinner series with political leaders and small groups of metals industry executives. 7. MSCI will continue to collaborate with other associations in alliances that help to develop grass-roots support for its policy positions. As part of its advocacy program, MSCI has joined or worked with a number of business alliances and coalitions to further its public policy goals. These include, among others, the Coalition for a Sound Dollar, the Fair Currency Alliance, and the Metalworking Associations Executives Group. MSCI will join other such alliances as they become necessary to organize grass-roots support for its positions. |