The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the I Make America campaign are marking the campaign’s first anniversary by holding a virtual march on Washington this week. The association has called on its supporters to send letters, sign a petition and call their elected officials in Congress to demand they take a stand for American jobs by passing a comprehensive, well-funded highway bill.
I Make America is a national grassroots campaign begun on Sept. 29, 2010, to promote manufacturing jobs through infrastructure investment and export agreements as proven ways to create and sustain jobs for American workers. The campaign has enlisted the support of more than 13,000 people nationwide so far, AEM’s 850-plus member companies and industry organizations.
"I thank the entire equipment manufacturing industry, our member companies and partners and our I Make America supporters for your efforts to demonstrate to Congress the human face of their continued inaction on infrastructure investment," said Dennis Slater, president of AEM. "Our work is far from over."
Congressional inaction on passing a well-funded, multiyear highway bill is hampering American workers’ and manufacturers’ efforts to get back to work rebuilding and modernizing our roads, bridges and highways, according to AEM. America’s stagnant economy, high unemployment and the declining resources in our communities demand a sense of urgency from our political leaders in D.C.
"This week we are encouraging everyone to contact their representatives via our Virtual March on Washington to turn up the heat on Congress and demand action," continued Slater. "We need leadership, not partisan bickering, to ensure our nation’s competitiveness—here and abroad, now and in the future—is not threatened."
More information about I Make America is at www.IMakeAmerica.com.
