Browse Advocacy

Column: Great stories to tell

Every day, nearly 200,000 people go to work in America’s foundries, producing the complex engineered parts that are essential to modern life. From this economic activity – which constitutes a $33 billion industry – emerge countless great stories.

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It's time to advocate for metalcasting

With hundreds of new lawmakers and congressional staff on Capitol Hill, it’s time to stand together as an industry. 

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AFS outlines 2019 public policy priorities

WASHINGTON, D.C.  — Today, American Foundry Society CEO Doug Kurkul, AFS President Jean Bye, and Eric Meyers, chairman of the AFS Government Affairs Committee, welcomed the newly convened 116th Congress. 

“AFS looks forward to working with lawmakers to address important metalcasting legislative and regulatory issues in the coming year,” Kurkul said. “It’s important that both new and returning members of Congress understand and appreciate the unique value of the metalcasting industry to manufacturing and the U.S. economy.”

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Trump Administration Unveils Waters of the U.S. Rule Replacement

The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers unveiled their replacement to the Obama-era 2015 Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) Rule.

The proposed new rule appears to provide a much more reasonable approach to the limits of Clean Water Act jurisdiction for waters of the U.S.  However, AFS said the details of the new rule require careful review to determine how it will impact metalcasting operations. 

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AFS meets with students at FEF College Industry Conference

The next generation of metalcasters gathered at the Foundry Educational Foundation's College Industry Conference in Chicago Nov. 15-16, and AFS was on hand.

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Congress passes AFS-supported water infrastructure package

A comprehensive water infrastructure bill backed by AFS won resounding support from Congress.   Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved America’s Water Infrastructure Act (S. 3021), which provides more than $6 billion in funding for water infrastructure projects nationwide. The bipartisan measure passed the Senate Oct. 10 by a vote of 99-1 after receiving unanimous approval by the House of Representatives in September.

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AFS-supported workforce legislation signed by President Trump

Key workforce legislation supported by AFS went into law July 31, when President Trump signed an act overhauling the nation’s career and technical education law.

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AFS advocating for solutions to skills shortage

A 2017 AFS workforce survey showed most metalcasters are experiencing challenges in hiring qualified workers. AFS is working aggressively for solutions to the skills shortage.

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AFS Members Have Access to Silica Resources as a Member Benefit

As a benefit to AFS members, you have full access to a wide array of resources designed to guide you toward compliance with OSHA’s new, more restrictive, crystalline silica rule:

The AFS Silica Compliance Timeline describes all the elements of a compliant silica program and includes interactive resources.

PowerPoint presentations explain the silica program requirements, and each is followed with useful resources such as checklists, templates and OSHA required forms.

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It’s time for Congress to stop punting on infrastructure

AFS joined a coalition of groups led by the National Association of Manufacturers and the Associated General Contractors of America to tell Congress it’s time to stop punting on funding infrastructure needs: the importance of improving roads, bridges, ports, and water infrastructure.

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