Council President & CEO Deborah L. Wince-Smith Responds to 2012 State of the Union Address

Last night President Obama concluded his 2012 State of the Union Address. Council President and CEO, Deborah L. Wince-Smith offered the following statement:

We urge the President and Congress to work together to address the many issues raised tonight that are critical to America’s competitiveness, many with direct connections to the initiatives undertaken by the Council in recent years.

Infrastructure, investment, technology and talent undisputedly constitute the core of our ability to succeed in global markets and ensure a higher standard of living for all our citizens. Most essentially tonight, the President stressed urgency in supporting an American manufacturing sector that will be pivotal in moving our economy from recessionary to robust. 

If you watched last night's address, you likely recognized that our work, especially the Manufacturing Competitiveness Initiative, is at the forefront of the Administration's agenda. Indeed, the State of the Union Address highlighted many of the insights and recommendations in the Council's recently-released report Make: An American Manufacturing Movement.

The President is correct in recognizing a fundamental belief held by the Council – that an invent here, make there model is not a path to economic prosperity. We must aggressively pursue policies that ensure America remains a global manufacturing destination. Manufacturing transcends political ties and ideological boundaries. It is a cornerstone of American independence, economic prosperity, and national security that we must not surrender.

We support the President’s intentions, but stress that some of his proposals need to more fully recognize the realities of the global marketplace. The Council stands ready, and we are well positioned to work with the Administration, Congress, and other key stakeholders to ensure America’s enduring leadership in global manufacturing.