AEM launches I Make America campaign
National effort combines the voices of 850+ member companies to promote job growth in U.S. construction, agriculture, forestry, mining and utility industries.
I Make America is a national grassroots campaign to dramatically improve American manufacturing policies to create more jobs in the U.S. and keep our economy competitive with other countries.
The campaign was created and is supported by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and its 850+ member companies representing 200-plus product lines in the agriculture, construction, forestry, mining and utility sectors worldwide. We are joined by the memberships of like-minded associations, American business owners, and citizens and local elected officials across the nation.
There is an urgent need to rebuild and modernize our country's infrastructure, and an urgent need for job creation. Investment in American infrastructure is a proven engine for economic growth in the manufacturing sector and across the economy. An expansive effort to build a 21st century transportation system will create thousands of new jobs, enhance American global competitiveness and help deliver American crops and manufactured goods across the world.
At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011, the largest construction industry gathering in the western hemisphere, momentum for I Make America permeated the show floor where 3,000 attendees joined the campaign to tell Congress that investment in transportation and other critical infrastructure puts more Americans back to work.
I Make America created excitement across Las Vegas as show attendees passed through a dynamic booth in the Grand Lobby featuring a grassroots lounge complete with a prize wheel featuring American-made giveaways and a visit by Mike Rowe of Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs. For weeks before the show opened, the I Make America campaign was featured in industry and show publications and, even before stepping onto the show site, attendees were greeted with I Make America messages at hotels and on transportation routes all over the city.
“The I Make America campaign is dedicated to the future of our industry,” said Dennis Slater, president of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the trade group that founded I Make America. “At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 we expanded our growing list of influential manufacturing and construction industry representatives from across the country who are focused on the urgent need to pass a highway bill and invest in comprehensive, national infrastructure improvements to grow American jobs and to keep our country competitive globally.”
The many exhibiting companies who have already joined the I Make America campaign displayed signs in their booths, show leaders highlighted the campaign at the opening ceremonies, and partner trade associations holding meetings at CONEXPO-CON/AGG urged their members to get involved.
The show also welcomed U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood who heard the I Make America message in discussions with several AEM member companies before calling for a six-year highway transportation bill to be passed in 2011.
Join the campaign at www.IMakeAmerica.com