AEM’s Vice Chair, and CEO and President of CNH Construction, James McCullough testified last week before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure about lagging jobs in the manufacturing industry and the need for new national policies to spur U.S. competitiveness globally.

“Our members don’t just make equipment, they make prosperity," McCullough told the House Committee. “Each individual who works in our industry plays a part in making America a better place – safer, cleaner, more prosperous, more efficient, more competitive – and they each have a story to tell about how they help ’make America.’”

Addressing Committee Chairman James Oberstar, McCullough stated, “The big news earlier this week was that the recession has ended. Well, Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee let me respectfully tell you, it doesn’t feel that way to us.”

Citing numbers that indicate the manufacturing sector is trending up, McCullough posed the question, “Up from where? That trend is still not strong, and our numbers are nowhere near where they were before the economy imploded.”

McCullough urged the Committee to take a comprehensive look at infrastructure spending to spur investment in housing, sewer and water as well as surface transportation programs.

On the same day, McCullough participated in AEM’s “I Make America” campaign launch. I Make America is a national grassroots campaign intended to raise awareness for infrastructure funding and international trade agreements.