Speakers Announced for MEMA Legislative Summit
Ann McCulloch, MEMA

OESA members should make plans to attend the MEMA Legislative Summit, which will be held Feb. 29 – March 1, 2012, in Washington, D.C.  The annual event offers supplier companies the opportunity to interact with members of Congress and congressional staff and push for supplier industry priorities.  Key issues this year include opposition to recent National Labor Relations Board regulatory activity, a push for advanced vehicle technology legislation and a primer on what suppliers can expect in tax reform.

The Legislative Summit will also feature presentations and commentary from industry leaders, the popular Congressional Reception and Supplier Fair and the presentation of the Joseph M. Magliochetti Industry Champion Award.  Program highlights include:

• Stu Rothenberg, noted political commentator and publisher of the Rothenberg Political Report.  Rothenberg also writes a column in Capitol Hill’s Roll Call twice a week.  He has contributed op-ed pieces to The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times and Orlando Sentinel.  His political expertise has made him a frequent guest on the network television news circuit, where he has appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press and TODAY, ABC’s This Week and Nightline and The McLaughlin Group.  With the increasingly important November elections rapidly approaching, Rothenberg’s insight will help suppliers decipher the political landscape.

• The Honorable Phil English, senior government relations advisor at Arent Fox and seven-term Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Western Pennsylvania’s 3rd District.   Rep. English has an extensive background in tax and trade issues, having served on the Ways and Means Committee.  He was co-chair of the Congressional Service Industries Caucus and a member of the President’s Export Council.  As suppliers look to key issues for 2013, Rep. English will offer his insight on tax reform and what suppliers need to do to help achieve meaningful results.

• Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).  NAM is the largest manufacturing association in the United States representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector.  Timmons will speak about NAM’s “Manufacturing Renaissance” initiative and the policies that are needed to make domestic manufacturers globally competitive. 

• The Honorable Todd Rokita, a Republican from Indiana’s Fourth District and this year’s Joseph M. Magliochetti Industry Champion Award recipient.  In his first term, Rep. Rokita has shown unique leadership on issues impacting the supplier industry, particularly in his authoring of legislation that passed the House last year which would reign in the aggressive regulatory agenda of the National Labor Relations Board.  His remarks will give supplier companies direction on advancing the industry’s legislative priorities in this Congress and prepare for 2013.

MEMA’s Washington office staff can help OESA members register for the event or CLICK HERE for more details.  Exhibitor spaces for the Congressional Reception and Supplier Fair are also still available.  Please contact Jana Zeigler at jzeigler@mema.org or Ann McCulloch at amcculloch@mema.org for more information.  See you in Washington!