If there is one takeaway from 2020, it’s that “business as usual” is in the rearview mirror. Supply chain disruptions associated with the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing global recession have illustrated the shortsightedness of longstanding U.S. policy that has prioritized the growth of global trade over the resiliency of U.S. manufacturing.
This morning, the U.S. Treasury Department released its long-awaited report on the foreign currency exchange policies of U.S. trading partners. While the U.S. placed ten countries on their monitoring list for potential violations, the report determined that Vietnam and Switzerland met the criteria to be designated as currency manipulators.
Pfizer, Moderna and other companies are or are preparing to distribute their COVID-19 vaccines to U.S. states and territories. CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has made recommendations on the allocation of the COVID-19 vaccine given that demand will exceed supply into mid-2021.
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released proposed updates to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Fees Rule. IPC is still reviewing the proposed updates, but it appears to meaningfully address the issues that IPC has raised with the policymakers at the EPA and the White House Office of Management and Budget.
The following op-ed on lead-free electronics used in defense equipment by IPC President and CEO John Mitchell appeared in Defense News and Military Times.
IPC applauds the U.S. Congress for approving more than $900 billion in aid to support recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The package provides economic support in the form of unemployment aid, direct payments, and business loans, as well as funding for vaccines and testing.
In this month’s report, you will find U.S. and European data on economic growth, employment, Manufacturer’s Sentiment (PMI) and end markets for electronics.
If your company manufactures or imports chemicals in the United States, then you need to review the pre-publication version of proposed changes to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) “TSCA Fees Rule.” Your initial feedback is needed by Tuesday, January 26.
The U.S. Department of Defense’s new cyber security standards for defense contractors are creating significant costs and uncertainties for electronics manufacturers, but industry leaders are trying to make it work, according to participants in IPC’s North American Executive Forum call on January 6.
The U.S. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) reopens this week (week of January 11, 2021) for new applications.