NAM: Election bodes well for pro-growth policy-making

According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Sen. John Kerry's concession to President Bush and final votes in congressional races bode well for a new era of pro-growth policy-making.

"Manufacturers and the business community congratulate Sen. Kerry for both his hard fought campaign and gracious concession, allowing American democracy to move forward," said NAM President John Engler. "We're optimistic that continuity in the White House and a more supportive Congress will now shift the legislative focus to making U.S. companies even more competitive on a global basis."

"The costs of doing business in America are too high, the playing field for global trade must be leveled, and modern manufacturing demands a better trained workforce," Engler said.

"Health care spending, taxes, energy costs, and lawsuit abuse all contribute to a conservatively estimated 22 percent cost disadvantage for American manufacturers relative to their leading foreign rivals," Engler said. "We must begin to control and reduce these structural costs."