SOCMA Welcomes Obama's Call for Regulatory Reform in State of the Union Address

The Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA) welcomed President Obama’s call for a government-wide review of regulation in his State of the Union address, saying Washington will fix rules that put an unnecessary burden on businesses.

SOCMA was among the first in Washington to call on Congress and the administration last year to cease further consideration of legislation or rules that negatively impact manufacturing and impede the pace of American business and hinder innovation. In his remarks, the President said his budget request to Congress will seek more money to fund research and development, an issue which has been a top priority for SOCMA.

“Allowing companies to invest in their businesses to develop new products is key,” said SOCMA president and CEO Lawrence D. Sloan. “Innovation creates opportunity and prosperity while regulation consumes them. SOCMA members are living testament to this circumstance, as they manufacture highly specialized products that take years through research and development to produce.”

Products made by SOCMA members are highly competitive in the global marketplace. Some are so unique that they are not produced anywhere else in the world.
SOCMA also supports the president's call to pass the free trade agreements negotiated during the Bush administration.

“Congress needs to approve without delay the agreements with South Korea, Columbia, and Panama,” Sloan explained. “Opening up more markets to trade not only makes economic sense, it will directly benefit SOCMA members' unique products and improve their competitiveness.”
 
SOCMA is the only U.S.-based trade association dedicated solely to the batch, custom, and specialty chemical industry. For more information, visit www.socma.com.