National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) vice president for international economic affairs Frank Vargo issued the following statement on April 13 on the release of the NAM’s “Manufacturers Blueprint for a 21st-Century Export Control Regime”:
“Today, the NAM put forth its recommendations for fundamental reform of the U.S. export control system. Manufacturers account for two-thirds of all exports of goods and services, so the proposals laid out in this blueprint are vital to the long-term success of American manufacturers.
“Earlier this year, we submitted short-term goals to the Administration that focused on improving U.S. security and global competitiveness. As the Administration now considers fundamental, long-term reform, we are putting forth seven comprehensive recommendations that will help establish the framework for an export control regime that protects national security, supports the high tech industrial base and allows manufacturers to compete in the global marketplace.
“The NAM’s seven recommendations include establishing a permanent interagency team to review and assess overall policy objectives, creating one central location for technical experts to develop a unified control list and improving multilateral engagement. The full proposal is available at www.nam.org.
“Our export control system has not been significantly changed in over 30 years and is badly out of date. Updating the system will enhance our security by allowing the government to focus its enforcement resources on the most critical goods and technologies. At the same time, it will enhance U.S. companies’ competitiveness by providing a clearer and more efficient licensing system.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Obama Administration and Congress on improving our Cold-war era export controls system to promote national security and economic competitiveness. We urge the Administration to act quickly on these additional reforms.”
The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation’s largest industrial trade association, representing manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing has a presence in every single congressional district providing good, high-paying jobs.
