U.S. Public Policy

Investing In Our Nation’s Infrastructure

The bipartisan infrastructure law is a significant down payment on rebuilding the United States’ crumbling infrastructure. Congress must fully fund infrastructure programs and the administration should swiftly provide investments to states, localities and other entities, and implement important reforms, including expediting the federal permitting process according to congressional intent. While the law provides historic levels of funding for roads, bridges, broadband, pipes, ports, rail, airports, and other physical infrastructure projects, a long-term, robust, and comprehensive plan is still needed. To that end, the Highway Trust Fund still requires a lasting revenue solution to restore the federal highway program’s long-term fiscal stability and increase investment levels.

SUPPORT TAX POLICY THAT DRIVES JOB CREATION AND GROWTH

The strength in the nation’s pre-pandemic economy was due in large part due to pro-growth tax policies, incentivized capital investment and job creation. Provisions from the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, including the reduced tax burden for job creating businesses, full expensing of new and used equipment purchases, and increased estate tax exemption levels, contributed to a robust economy. Congress must work to preserve these temporary capital investment incentives and make them a permanent part of the tax code to provide certainty for equipment dealers, manufacturers and their customers. Additionally, during a fragile economic recovery, lawmakers should refrain from raising taxes on family-owned businesses and such tax policies should be opposed.

EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SKILLED, TECHNICAL WORKERS

The greatest challenge facing equipment dealers is the lack of skilled service technicians. Federal laws should be updated to reflect current workforce needs. Congress must also increase funding for the Carl D. Perkins Act and other programs that support providing skilled technical education opportunities while expanding access to loan and grant programs for individuals pursuing career and technical education programs. Additionally, lawmakers should create and expand tax benefits to incentivize individuals to pursue technical education and induce employers to reimburse such costs.

STRENGTHEN RURAL COMMUNITIES & THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR

Understanding that rural communities are home to most of America’s manufacturing, farming and ranching, investing in rural infrastructure must be prioritized to ensure the efficient movement of goods to customers and ports and maintain the United States’ agriculture sector’s competitiveness. The administration must also accelerate broadband deployment in rural America to bridge the digital divide with urban areas. As Congress considers a new farm bill, lawmakers should strengthen the safety net for farmers, continue voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs that allow for producer flexibility, expand the use of agriculture-based biofuels, and invest in promoting U.S. commodities around the world.

PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND COMMERCE

The United States operates in a global economy. Equipment dealers and manufacturers rely on free trade agreements and other accords that permit accessible and efficient international trade. The Biden administration should review current tariffs and refrain from implementing new ones. Tariffs, particularly on our key trading partners, increase the cost of imports, invite retaliation and create market uncertainty, thereby detrimentally impacting equipment dealers, manufacturers, contractors, farmers, and U.S. consumers. The United States must also pursue greater regulatory harmonization with Canada and improve the movement of goods across the northern border.

Pursue a Balanced Regulatory Approach

Regulatory relief helped unlock economic growth prior to the pandemic. Policymakers must strike the right balance between health, labor, safety and environmental regulations, and a robust inclusive economy for all. The negative impact that burdensome mandates and one-size-fits-all policy approaches have on small-medium-sized businesses and their employees must be recognized as an impediment to growth. To that end, AED opposes requiring equipment dealers and manufacturers to provide the means to allow customers to modify machinery, including the circumvention of environmental and safety protections.

Regain United States Energy Leadership

The United States must continue to develop its natural resources even as the country moves toward renewables and alternative energy sources. A comprehensive approach to energy resources, including fossil fuel development, is a bridge to meet green energy goals in the future. In the past decade, states and communities across the country have been positively transformed due to the economic benefits and lower costs of domestic energy production. Policies regarding energy development must embrace investment, risk-taking and job creation, and recognize that pipelines are the safest and most efficient means to deliver energy to intermediate and end markets.

Reform the Broken Immigration System

The United States’ immigration system is broken, which is hindering economic growth and prosperity. Congress and the administration must work in a bipartisan manner to reform the nation’s immigration laws to strengthen national security, enforce the rule of law, address workforce shortages and provide certainty to employers and employees. Strong border security is essential to overhauling the country’s immigration system. Additionally, the United States’ immigration laws must be modified to address current employer needs, such as expanding visa categories to fill in-demand jobs like equipment service technicians. Furthermore, a pathway toward legal status should be available to law-abiding, undocumented workers and individuals brought to the United States illegally as children by their parents (“Dreamers”).