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National Association of Manufacturers

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Founded in 1895, the National Association of Manufacturers's "mission is to enhance the competitiveness of manufacturers by shaping a legislative and regulatory environment..." [1] The group has a long roster of lobbyists in Washington lobbying on dozens of issues. They also have a special lobby called National Association of Manufacturers - Asbestos Alliance, working on tort reform concerning asbestos exposure.

Although NAM has a long and unabashed history of representing the interests of industrial corporations, progressive blogger David Sirota has accused them of being a "front group," a "corrupt, partisan wing of the Republican apparatus whose leadership often uses NAM's resources against the interests of the majority of NAM's own members.[1]

Contents

Against regulating greenhouse gas emissions

In April 2009, NAM protested the Environmental Protection Agency's finding that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions endangered public health and could be regulated under the Clean Air Act. "Using outdated programs under the law to regulate GHG emissions would burden an ailing economy while doing little or nothing to improve the environment, NAM Pres. John Engler said. 'The clean air laws were designed to focus on local pollutants. GHG emissions, however, are global in nature and require a new framework.'" [2]

Duke Energy quits NAM over organization's refusal to address global warming

In 2009, Duke Energy, which operates scores of coal-fired power plants in the Southeast and Midwest, would not be renewing its membership due to NAM's refusal to address global warming. In an interview, Duke CEO Jim Rogers siad, "We are not renewing our membership in NAM because in tough times, we want to invest in associations that are pulling tin the same direction we are." Rogers said that NAM, as well as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Republican Party "ought to roll up their sleeves and get to work on a climate bill, but quite frankly, I don't see them changing."[3]

Members

After losing a legal challenge to language in the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 that requires groups to release the names of members that contribute $5,000 a quarter to the coalition’s lobbying efforts and actively participate in its lobbying activities," NAM listed 65 of its corporate members on its website. [4] The listing was difficult to find on the website and was posted as a graphics file, making the transfer of the information more difficult.

From their 2008 first quarter lobbying disclosure form: [5]

Personnel

Staff

Board of Directors

See National Association of Manufacturers/Board of Directors

Contact information

National Association of Manufacturers
1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Sixth Floor Washington, DC 20004-1790
Telephone: 202-637-3000
Fax: 202-637-3182
Website:http://www.nam.org
Email: manufacturing AT nam.org

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch articles

References

  1. ↑ David Sirota, "GOP Front Group Exposes It's Own Corruption & the Right's Fraying Coalition," Sirotablog (WorkingForChange), May 8, 2007.
  2. ↑ Nick Snow, "EPA issues proposed endangerment finding on GHGs," Oil & Gas Journal, April 20, 2009.
  3. ↑ Amanda Terkel, "Duke Energy Quits the Right-Wing National Association of Manufacturers Over Differences on Climate Policy," Think Progress, May 8, 2009
  4. ↑ Kevin Bogardus, "NAM discloses member list," The Hill, May 1, 2008.
  5. ↑ "NAM Lobbying Disclosure," National Association of Manufacturers, accessed May 2008.

External resources

External articles

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