The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) announced 2017 advocacy priorities that include smarter regulations to unleash economic growth, comprehensive tax reform, efficient transportation and trade policies that advance U.S. competitiveness. The association will pursue these over the coming year to support the paper and wood product manufacturing industry’s ability to create jobs and grow the economy.
“We look forward to working with the new Administration and Congress to achieve shared goals of growing the economy and creating opportunity for all Americans,” said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman.
AF&PA’s top advocacy priorities for the coming year include:
•Smarter Regulations to Grow the Economy: A top focus remains resolving the regulatory treatment of biomass carbon. In addition, the AF&PA will work to stem the tide of overreach on air and water regulations affecting the industry, including modernizing the air permit process and ensuring reasonable, science-based human health water quality criteria.
•Comprehensive Tax Reform: Comprehensive reform of the tax system will improve economic growth, job opportunity, capital investment and the competitiveness of U.S.-based businesses. Lower tax rates are needed and reforms should support investment in U.S. manufacturing while recognizing the complex global supply chains that make robust U.S. manufacturing possible.
•Transportation Efficiency: The industry’s shipping functions must be globally competitive. Safely increasing truck weight limits on federal interstate highways and freight rail system rate and service improvements are necessary and have the AF&PA’s support.
•Trade: U.S. paper and wood product manufacturers need unrestricted access to international markets and a level playing field among international competitors through the elimination of both tariff and non-tariff barriers. Trade agreements that generate substantive economic benefit to U.S. forest products manufacturers and their workers should be maintained. Enforcement of trade agreements and laws that ensure all nations play by the rules so that trade flow are not arbitrarily distorted is essential.
