The Push for U.S. Permitting Reform: National Association of Manufacturers’ Chris Phalen | Ep 19

Yeah.

So NAM, the N-A-M as we like to call it, the National Association of Manufacturers, is the largest manufacturing trade association in the United States.

We represent firms from every industry, from minerals and production, to energy, to automotive, national defense, 14,000 members, trillions of dollars in, in GDP, and then over 13 million men and women who make things in America.

So we're kind of leading the way on a lot of what we're talking about here at CERAWeek.

Amazing.

And you have just launched a critical minerals strategy for America.

Why don't you tell us a bit about that?

Yeah, so I know, you know, the focus of CERAWeek here is, is energy, and we think manufacturing and energy really go hand-in-hand, and part of that is critical minerals.

We've seen a lot of supply chain volatility over the last year, and America has really kind of lost some of its advantage in critical minerals.

And across all of our industries and supply chains, we need access to these minerals from batteries to national defense to other energy applications.

And so this is really a first of its kind report that brings together a holistic view of what manufacturers need to have access to kind of break the Chinese stranglehold on a lot of these critical minerals and, and rare earths.

So we combine the domestic policy side, that's my team, permitting reform, strategic incentives from the federal government, critical workforce training initiatives, along with what's going on in the international space.

And so we're describing that as a plurilateral or multilateral engagement with our allies and like-minded countries.

So we've seen, I think, examples of this with Japan, South Korea, Australia, how the US can leverage its relationships, its financing capa- capabilities to strengthen those supply chains.

We want as much of it manufactured and done in America as possible, but we're also realistic that there is a critical component to be played by our friends and allies around the world who have these minerals, who have expertise in certain ones of them.

So this is really an opportunity to say, "Here's exactly what manufacturers need," the entire list of policy menu options, and we're gonna be taking it to The Hill and to the administration to try to get it effectuated.

I know we're in Canada House here.

Canada is a great partner of the United States and manufacturers in America on all things minerals, and so we value the relationship very much.

Absolutely.

And so when you take it to The Hill, what do you expect the reaction to be?

You know, I expect the reaction to be very positive.

This is something that has been kind of a long time percolating.

People have been slowly talking more and more about critical minerals, but I do think we're at an inflection point where both sides, both sides of the aisle recognize the importance of this.

Everyone has a stake in reshoring and friendshoring these supply chains.

Again, if you're a Democrat, you have batteries, you have solar panels, you have wind turbines, which all require significant mineral inputs.