Policymakers in Washington should take advantage of a bipartisan opportunity to enhance our nation’s infrastructure, grow the economy, and support U.S. jobs by investing in our transportation and water systems.
This is the message the American Foundry Society delivered to newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in a letter outlining AFS’ infrastructure agenda.
AFS highlighted four policies that would support American jobs and manufacturers and grow the U.S. economy:
- Modernizing our nation’s infrastructure, including roads, highways, bridges, airports, railroad and transit, schools, and ports, as well as drinking water and wastewater systems.
- Strengthening and expanding Buy-America rules for projects that draw upon U.S. tax dollars. Policies should ensure that federal highway, transit, and rail funds purchase American-made metal products under the Buy-America rules. Increasing federal purchases of U.S. castings and manufactured goods for all DOT-funded projects will reinvest tax dollars back into the local and national economy.
- Incentivizing private investment in the freight railcar manufacturing industry by providing a tax credit for U.S. railcar leasing and manufacturing companies for the cost of replacing two existing railcars with a new fuel-efficient railcar or for refurbishing an existing railcar, which will support good-paying jobs and protect America’s supply chain.
- Streamlining and accelerating the federal permitting process. Our nation’s lengthy permitting and environmental review process can add to projects’ time and cost, while deterring the entry of private capital.
“The U.S. metalcasting industry stands ready to work with you to grow the economy, enhance Buy-America rules and purchases, and modernize our transportation and water infrastructure,” the letter states.
U.S. metalcasters produce highly engineered castings that are integral to infrastructure systems. Among the products produced by the $44 billion metalcasting industry are pipes, pumps, flow meters, fire hydrants, wheel frames, gear castings, engine blocks, engines, exhaust manifolds, rail-car axles, rail suspension and coupling systems, rail brakes, aerospace components and hundreds of related products. Castings are part of 90 percent of durable goods, and more than 40 percent of all castings are related to infrastructure.
AFS is the only association working full-time to advocate for a positive business climate for the $44 billion metalcasting economy. To read more about the AFS Policy Agenda, click here.
The American Foundry Society is a dynamic technical and advocacy organization that serves and represents the $44 billion metalcasting industry. AFS is the only association serving the entire industry, including all metals and processes, with a three-part focus on advocacy, education, and innovation. AFS also publishes Modern Casting and Casting Source magazines and presents Metalcasting Congress and CastExpo, the largest metalcasting trade events in North America. Founded in 1896, the organization is based in Schaumburg, Illinois, with an advocacy office in Washington, D.C. More information is available at afsinc.org.