President Donald Trump delivers remarks about tax cuts, deregulation, and the economy Thursday in the Rose Garden at the White House. (Photo: Pete Marovich/UPI/Newscom)
By Fred Lucas ~
President Donald Trump touted the success of his policies in helping manufacturers, and announced a new presidential order to roll back environmental regulations that would further expedite the construction of factories.
“Today I will sign a presidential memorandum directing the EPA to cut even more red tape on our manufacturers, so that they can expand and continue to hire and to grow,” Trump said in a Rose Garden speech Thursday. “And, I will say, this is about tax cuts today, but the cutting of regulations could have had the same or even a bigger impact on our economy.”
The Environmental Protection Agency is pushing “outdated and unnecessary barriers to growth” in its National Ambient Air Quality Standards, according to the White House details released after the speech.
Trump’s memorandum is ordering the EPA to take a series of actions designed to make the standards more efficient and cost-effective. The changes will give state regulatory agencies more flexibility by processing state-submitted plans within 18 months, and providing more transparency to regulated industries.
The order also directs the EPA to review the permitting process so that projects will be approved or rejected within a year. Trump noted it can take 10 years just to get a rejection to build a factory.
The event was supposed to be about touting tax reform, and most of the speech was, but Trump also talked about other topics, such as changing business as usual in Washington.
“Sometimes it may not look like it, but believe me, we are draining the swamp,” Trump said. “Every time you see me hit, you know that I’m draining the swamp and people don’t like it.”
Trump broke the news of a new survey by the National Association of Manufacturers to the largely approving audience.
“No one has been more energized by our tax cuts than American manufacturers,” Trump said.
“In fact, today, there is even more good news and I wanted all of you to be the first to hear it,” Trump said. “According to the latest survey by the National Association of Manufacturers, projected job growth for American manufacturing has just reached a new all-time high.”
The National Association of Manufacturers survey found that optimism among small manufacturers hit 94.5 percent, the highest level ever recorded in the 20-year history of the survey. The survey also found record high numbers for projected employment growth, capital spending, and inventories. Projected sales growth registered its second-highest reading in the 20-year history of the survey, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.
“Empowered by tax reform and regulatory relief, manufacturers are now investing in our people through new jobs, higher wages, bonuses and growing our operations right here in the United States,” National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons said in a statement.
“We’re delivering on our promises—despite what the doubters, deniers and detractors said,” Timmons said. “To keep this momentum going, to take us to the next level, manufacturers now want to see action on infrastructure, further regulatory relief and more opportunities to sell our products overseas. Manufacturers are proving that when the president and lawmakers deliver on policy, we will deliver for the American people.”
