Nucor Public Affairsvoice of our industry

Nucor believes that America’s economic strength comes from making, building and innovating right here in the United States. A robust manufacturing base is essential to a thriving economy and jobs that pay America’s workers well.

In today’s world, we recognize that our local, state and federal governments play a significant role in determining whether we operate in an environment that encourages manufacturing investment. That is why we are actively involved in issues important to America’s manufacturers, including trade, energy, infrastructure, and regulations and taxes.

We believe we should be pursuing a Competitiveness Agenda for America, which will strengthen our manufacturing sector and the entire U.S. economy:

Achieve

American
Energy Independence

America must have an all-of-the-above strategy when it comes to energy policy so we have reliable, affordable energy for manufacturing.

Restore

American
Manufacturing

We need to create healthy, balanced global trade by enforcing our rules-based free trade system, so America’s manufacturers compete with foreign companies, not foreign governments.

Rebuild

American
Infrastructure

America’s 20th century infrastructure made us a global manufacturing leader, but now it is crumbling. We must invest in a comprehensive infrastructure policy to be globally competitive in this century.

Empower

American
Business

America’s regulatory and tax systems should encourage capital investment, innovation and job creation in our manufacturing sector.

The Shining City

America can still be a nation that innovates, makes and builds.

Learn more by visiting the Nucor Channel.

OUR ISSUES

ENERGY

  • We need to develop a long-term energy policy and lay the groundwork for a reliable and affordable mix of energy resources. Renewable energy sources will be an important part of America’s future energy supply, but today’s economy requires nuclear power, natural gas and coal to provide energy on the scale we need to sustain our prosperity.

  • We are seeing a renaissance in American manufacturing due to a surge in energy production here in the United States. Affordable and plentiful natural gas has spurred hundreds of billions of dollars in investments in new manufacturing facilities in the U.S. We need to continue to support development of our existing energy resources while we improve the reliability and efficiency of new technologies.

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FREE TRADE

  • The best way to achieve global prosperity is a system of free trade – trade free from government interference. This is the most efficient economic system, and it will provide high-paying jobs, which will increase demand across the world, which will drive more supply, which will require new jobs, thus completing the circle of economic growth.

  • Overcapacity in the global steel market remains a serious threat to U.S. steel producers, because it encourages our foreign competitors to abuse trade laws and engage in unfair and illegal practices to compete in our market.

  • U.S. steel producers are among the lowest-cost producers in the world. The domestic industry enjoys clear advantages in practically every aspect of steelmaking, but the disregard many foreign competitors have for laws wipes out these advantages.

  • The U.S. government cannot let law breakers off the hook. We must enforce trade laws to ensure a level playing field. These trade remedies are not protectionism. The World Trade Organization provides these actions as legitimate and necessary responses to subsidized exports and dumping practices of nations with excess capacity.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

  • America’s infrastructure is outdated and in need of modernization. Our foreign competitors are strategically investing in their infrastructure. Our country’s leaders need to focus on our long-term economic competitiveness. We need a long-term funding solution that ensures we have world-class infrastructure if we hope to meaningfully grow our economy and create jobs.

  • Any new funding for infrastructure projects is going to create jobs. The Department of Transportation reports that every $1 billion invested in highway capital supports nearly 37,500 American jobs.

  • To ensure jobs created from new infrastructure spending are created here in America, new spending measures need to include strong Buy America provisions. Infrastructure projects built with American tax dollars should use American-made materials.

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AMERICAN JOBS

  • It is important to maintain a tax-and-regulatory environment that makes it easy to do business in America. One way to do that is to ensure that businesses compete on a level playing field and that government does not pick winners and losers either through legislation or the regulatory process.

  • Manufacturing investment will happen if tax rates remain competitive and businesses are not burdened with onerous regulations. Today, there are a number of expensive and burdensome federal regulations that make it hard on manufacturers and hurt the overall economy.

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