MSCI Government Affairs Activities 

1. Collaboration with other associations in alliances that help to develop grass-roots support for our policy positions.
   
   As part of its advocacy program, MSCI is working with a number of business. These alliances and coalitions include:  the Fair Currency Coalition, the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, the Tax Relief Coalition, the LIFO Coalition, and the Coalition of Affordable American Energy. MSCI will join other North American associations, coalitions and alliances, like the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, to organize grass-roots support for its positions.
   
   
2. 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, border taxes and illegal 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 (CVD) to imports from non-market economies (NME).
   
   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.
   
   
3. MSCI will continue to support legislation that lowers the structural cost of doing business in the U.S.
   
   MSCI generally supports those initiatives by NAM, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and others that seek to lower the cost of doing business.
   
   MSCI is opposed to over-regulation like the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed "tailoring rule" for regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from large industrial facilities. MSCI joined 1,000 other associations, large and small businesses and individuals opposing these proposed regulatory burdens.
   
   We believe that Congress, not the EPA, is the appropriate authority to deal with such a complex regulatory issue that needs transparency and a rigorous public debate.
   
   
4. MSCI will support legislation and a manufacturing policy that encourages 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.
   
   Manufacturing Policy
   
   MSCI supports a strong North American biased manufacturing strategy and supports the National Association of Manufacturers Manufacturing Strategy released in June 2010. It is intended to summarize and compliment the third, updated version on The 2010 Popkin Report: Why Manufacturing Revitalization Matters and the Milken Institute’s Jobs for America: Investments and policies for economic growth and competitiveness.
   
   At our Annual Meeting held May 2-4, 2010 in Boca Raton, FL, Ralph Gomory, president emeritus of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and a retired senior vice president of research for IBM, spoke about the policies and attitudes of government officials and economists that have lead to the decline in U.S. manufacturing. To read his insightful presentations, click here.