Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...The United Space Alliance aerospace company manufactures special tiles that protect space shuttles from the fiery heat they encounter when re-entering Earth atmosphere. The company wanted to cut down on waste in tile production. So they turned to Microsoft?s Visio software and ProModel Corp.?s Process Simulator to get the job done. Visio is software that helps businesses visualize systems, processes and other information while Process Simulator is a Visio plug-in. United Space Alliance representative David Tucker, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? radio program, says the results were better than expected. Accompanying Tucker on the program is Microsoft representative Ingo Heel and ProModel Consulting Services Vice President Bruce Gladwin. ?I can tell you to triple the production requirements and not have to hire anybody new or buy any new equipment was a pretty amazing feat,? Tucker says. ?So we were able to do that without tripling our resource requirements. We used what we had.? Reporter James Fallows, a frequent contributor to Atlantic Monthly, returns to ?America?s Business? this week to continue his conversation about China?s environmental problems. China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world but lags far behind the United States when it comes to keeping air and water clean. Nuclear energy could be an important component in making America independent of expensive imported oil. And a recent study from the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition (CASEnergy) says a renaissance of America?s nuclear power industry could create thousands of high-paying jobs. Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, co-chair of CASEnergy, will join Mike to talk about the report. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) is pushing legislation to begin oil drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to help ease soaring gasoline prices. But Bartlett, who was the first congressman to buy a gas-stingy Toyota Prius, said federal revenue from ANWR oil drilling will be used to develop alternative fuels. ?Well, I always was opposed to drilling in ANWR unless we used the revenues we got from ANWR to invest in alternatives,? says Bartlett, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? radio program. ?We desperately need to develop alternatives and I thought that would provide some leverage to get us going on developing alternatives.? China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world but is grappling with a huge pollution problem. Smog is so bad some observers say it could affect the performance of athletes at the Olympic Games. Reporter James Fallows, a regular contributor to Atlantic Monthly, will join Mike to talk about what China is doing to clean up its air, soil and water. Federal tax credits to boost research and development help foster innovation and create jobs. But Congress often lets these credits lapse. Tom Neubig of Ernst and Young, author of a recent report on R and D tax credits, will talk about the huge benefit they give manufacturing. With gasoline prices so high wouldn?t it be nice if you could make your own fuel at home? Well, now you can. E-Fuel Chief Executive Officer Thomas Quinn will introduce us to a machine his company manufacturers that lets consumers make their own ethanol using sugar, yeast and water. And America?s Business will visit Patriots Technology Training in Seat Pleasant, Maryland. President Thurman Jones will talk about his mission to use fun and recreational activities to teach children and teenagers about robotics, science and math. These skills could one day help them in manufacturing careers. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Oil prices are hitting new records almost daily, hurting consumers and businesses alike. But the United States still has plenty of untapped oil, says former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick.? The former Georgia Republican congressman is chairman of American Solutions for Winning the Future. The nonpartisan group has an online petition asking Americans whether they want more domestic oil drilling to help bring down prices. Not surprisingly, many want more drilling.?In less than three weeks it has gotten 475,000 signatures,? Gingrich says. ?We?re adding 30,000 to 50,000 signatures a day now. So it?s building momentum.? America?s roads, bridges, waterways and rails are aging and need fixing and improvements. But is our government up to the challenge? Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN) will join Mike to discuss the issue. One answer to our nation?s energy crisis could be blowing in the wind. Assistant Energy Secretary Andy Karsner will talk about a recent report that says wind could generate 20 percent of our nation?s energy needs by 2030. There are more minority engineers in America but more work needs to be done. National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering Inc. Vice President Irving Pressley McPhail will talk about a recent report on diversity in engineering and why the issue is so important to manufacturing. And ?America?s Business? will chat with Munro and Associates Inc. President Sandy Munro. Munro?s company is helping manufacturers become leaner and meaner by helping them boost efficiency and cut costs. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Prices at the pump are downright painful. But Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) has a plan to wean America off expensive foreign oil by the Fourth of July 2015. Part of the "American Energy Independence Act" calls for giving automakers incentives to build more gasoline-efficient cars or vehicles that run on alternative fuels, says Rogers, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? radio program. ?We?re going to offer you low-interest money so you can invest in green technology research,? Rogers says. ?You can do hydrogen research. You can do lithium ion battery research. You can do hybrid fuel and biomass research.? Healthcare costs are soaring for businesses and consumers. Len Nichols from the New America Foundation will tell Mike about his group?s report on what the nation?s leaders must do to fix this problem. Teenage race car driver Brennan Palmiter is also a pretty handy welder and fabricator. Palmiter, whose race car is partly sponsored by the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, is encouraging other youth to pursue manufacturing-related jobs. He even has a fan Web site, www.gobrennan.com. SPX Corporation has been around for almost a century, shifted its product line, and is still thriving. President and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Kearney will talk about how his company has managed to survive and succeed. And ?America?s Business? will visit with Polyamide High Performance President Carlos Serrano. Serrano?s award-winning company is helping save thousands of lives by making the material used in car air bags. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Congressman Bart Gordon (D-TN) helped push passage of legislation that will create an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy. That agency will harness some of the best minds in America to help the country develop sorely needed solar, nuclear and other alternative energy sources, Gordon says.?Bring in a program director, get the public sector, the private sector, the national labs, the universities, everyone together in trying to really break through,? says Gordon, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? radio program. ?We?re going to have to have some major breakthroughs.?W ashington Post Columnist Bob Samuelson regularly gives his readers the straight dope on politics and the economy. Samuelson has been a guest on ?America?s Business? before. He returns to talk about presidential candidates, free trade, and an issue on many people?s minds ? sky high gasoline prices. Americans love their gadgets but when our laptops, cell phones and video games break or go obsolete they end up in the garbage can. However, Mike will talk to Electronics Recyclers International Chief Executive Officer John Shegerian about how his company is turning a lot of that electronic junk into gold. Keeping your tires properly inflated is one way to improve gas mileage. But did you know filling tires with nitrogen can improve gas mileage even more? Branick Industries President Brian Brasch will visit ?America?s Business? to talk about his company?s nitrogen tire inflation systems. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...An alliance of business, education, government and other groups are creating an advanced manufacturing hub in South Texas near the Mexican border. Supporters say this hub will be a new Silicon Valley for manufacturing and technology. North American Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education Initiative Executive Officer Wanda Garza, a guest this week on ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick,? said NAAMREI will also create thousands of manufacturing jobs. ?Our target is we have 17,000 manufacturing jobs today on the U.S. side in our Rio South Texas Region,? she said. ?Our target is 25,000 ? to create up to 25,000 jobs in manufacturing in the region.? Oil prices are record high with no relief in sight. But Northern Alliance of Independent Producers President Bob Harms will talk to Mike about a recent survey that shows there could be billions of barrels of oil in the United States under the plains of North Dakota and Montana. The U.S. Senate is considering a bill to help prevent global warming that critics claim is based on bad science and will hurt the U.S. economy. American Council for Capital Formation top economist Margo Thorning will discuss a study on the economic down side of the Warner-Lieberman climate change bill. ?America?s Business? will also have a conversation with Case Western Reserve law professor Jonathan Adler about how a controversial bill to increase government oversight over waterways could affect business. And the program will talk to Pine Hall Brick President Fletcher Steele about how his company is using an unusual fuel ? sawdust ? to help slash its utility bills. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org. .

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Many of America?s roads and bridges are in bad shape, putting a strain on economic growth. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) is pushing Congress to approve ?Build America Bonds? to help fix the nation?s ailing infrastructure. Wyden, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick,? praised the National Association of Manufacturers for raising public and political awareness about America?s infrastructure needs. Wyden is a member of the NAM?s Alliance to Improve America?s Infrastructure. ?It seems to me the alliance has helped us get more and more support every time out,? Wyden says. Many nations continue to look at the United States as a model of economic success. On that note ?America?s Business? this week will meet Institute of Brazilian Business and Public Management Issues Director Jim Ferrer and Center for International Private Enterprise Executive Director John Sullivan. Ferrer?s group brings Brazilians to the United States to learn about our business and economic system. And Sullivan?s organization helps strengthen democracy abroad through private enterprise and market-oriented reform. Move over Ford and General Motors ? there?s a new car manufacturer in America that makes vehicles specifically for law enforcement and homeland security. Carbon Motors Corp. Chief Executive Officer Bill Li will join Mike to tell us more about his company. You can also tune in to get a sneak preview of the second annual National Summit on American Competitiveness in Chicago from event operations director Kelly O?Brien. And Nancy Hickey, senior vice president at the Steelcase office furniture maker, will talk about how that company is harnessing energy from wind. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership will give us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls "The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.?he National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...The continuing battle between Democratic presidential nominees Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is good news for Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, Florida Sen. Mel Martinez says. ?It?s got to be a help that we have had some time for the McCain campaign to get its feet on the ground. He's raising money. Getting organization behind him,? said Martinez, a McCain supporter and guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? radio program. ?But it also remains a clear fact that the Democrats are going to unite and this is going to be a battle,? Martinez said. The Senate is weighing a climate change bill that would use a pollution cap and trade system to help prevent global warming. But Neil O?Brien from the Open Europe think-tank will tell Mike why a similar program in Europe has run into problems. For almost 20 years the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program has given companies training to help them boost sales and cut costs. Bruce Pulkkinen from Windham Millwork Inc. in Maine, a supporter of MEP, will tell us why such a worthwhile program is under threat. ?America?s Business? will also talk to Advanced Technology Services Inc. President Jeffrey Owens. Owen?s company helps manufacturers stay on budget by maintaining and repairing their shopfloor equipment. And the program will visit with Judith Crocker, director of the Dream It. Do It. program in Northeast Ohio to find out how that program trains young people for manufacturing careers. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership will give us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Arizona Sen. John McCain is the likely Republican candidate for the presidency but the battle is still raging over who will win the Democratic presidential nomination. However, John Zogby, a guest on this week?s edition of ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick,? predicted Illinois Sen. Barack Obama will beat New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. Zogby is one of the most respected political pollsters in the nation. ?The most important thing is that Clinton does not really have a way mathematically to obtain the nomination,? Zogby said. ?There is no way, or very little way, for her to be able to catch up with Sen. Obama among pledged delegates.? The Senate is considering a climate change bill that supporters claim would help prevent global warming but opponents say would wreck the U.S. economy. Award-winning Time Magazine editor Eric Pooley will talk about the politics surrounding the issue. Environmentalists are trying to fight a new power plant in Utah. Attorney Russell Frye will explain why that case is so important to future energy supplies and manufacturing. Meanwhile, National Association of Manufacturers Trade Policy Director Doug Goudie will give listeners an update on World Trade Organization negotiations to further open global markets. And Croplife America President Jay Vroom will explain why pesticides needed to grow crops to feed the world sometimes get a bad reputation. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership will give us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Education is a top priority for manufacturers who need a skilled workforce to operate increasingly complex shop floor computers and equipment. But has America?s public education system improved in the 25 years since the National Commission on Excellence in Education released its ?Nation at Risk? report? That report gave our schools a mediocre grade. Chester Finn, a guest on this week?s edition of ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick,? said things haven?t gotten much better. ?I guess the big issue for me is that the reforms to date haven?t yielded much by the way of improved achievement,? said Finn, who is president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Trade agreements have recently gotten a bad rap in Congress and the media but exports create American jobs. Miguel Cruz from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. will join Mike to talk about how his company is taking advantage of Latin American business opportunities. ?National Small Business Week? is officially ending. Kristy Schloss, president of Schloss Engineered Equipment, will visit ?America?s Business? to talk about issues important to small businesses such as hers. MeadWestvaco Corp., which makes packaging materials, is repackaging itself under the new name MWV. Company Vice President of Communications Donna Cox will tell us why the company decided to make the change. And to honor ?Earth Day? Ed Kiczek, global business director at Air Products and Chemicals Inc., will discuss his company?s push into the hydrogen fuel market. Hydrogen could turn out to be a promising alternative form of energy. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of the American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...The media can sometimes fan false hysteria about issues ranging from asbestos to global warming, according to the authors of the new book ?Scared to Death.? Christopher Booker and Richard North, guests on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick,? said this hysteria can cost businesses billions of dollars when policymakers overreact. Remember the Y2K computer crash that never happened? ?Part of the reason for writing the book, the process, is to tell people that actually they are being caught up in a very specific phenomenon and to advise and instruct them as to how to recognize the phenomenon they?ve been caught up with,? North said. Manufacturers are struggling to find qualified workers and the H1-B visa program helps them attract talent from overseas. But the visa program has flaws. Microsoft Corp. Managing Director of Federal Government Affairs Jack Krumholtz will appear on the program to tell us more. Clean technology is more popular than ever. Allied PhotoChemical Inc. Vice President of Sales Dan Sweetwood will join Mike to talk about why his company is offering a line of environmentally friendly paints, coatings and other products. One way to cut soaring healthcare costs is to help workers manage chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Dr. Ken Thorpe, executive director of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, will be on hand to talk about his group?s push to include chronic disease management in the presidential debates. Spring is here and grass is growing again. On that note ?America?s Business? will visit Walker Manufacturing Company in Colorado to help celebrate a special milestone. They will manufacture their 100,000th lawnmower this year. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of the American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Congress will hurt the U.S. economy and send a bad message to its allies if it rejects a free trade agreement with Colombia, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez says. The House on Thursday voted to delay a vote on the deal. ?We should not put politics in front of sending a message to an ally,? said Gutierrez, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? radio program. ?If we don?t approve this, our allies and friends will be very confused. And people who don?t like us will be very happy.? Gasoline prices are at record highs and the search for alternative energy sources is gaining urgency. America?s Business will talk to Southern California Edison about the utility company?s multi-million-dollar plan to light hundreds of businesses and homes using solar power. American manufacturers are also using a foreign visa program to help meet a shortage of qualified workers. Texas Instruments will join Mike to discuss the hurdles the company faces when it uses the H1-B visa program. You can also tune in this week to find out what high-ranking government official visited Colorcraft in Sterling, Va., to talk about the economic stimulus package. And ?America?s Business? will continue its series on foreign manufacturing groups when its visits the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org. For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...America will only hurt itself if it rejects a free trade agreement with Colombia, says Executive Director Miguel Gomez Martinez of the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce.That?s because America already opened its market to Colombian products, says Gomez Martinez, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? radio program. Now Colombia wants to return the favor, he says. In fact, Gomez Martinez expressed surprised some Democrats are against the deal. ?First of all the Democrats have always voted in favor of the (trade) preferences for Colombia. So the Democrats already gave us free access to the U.S. market. So it?s very difficult to understand why they are not willing to do the same thing for U.S. companies.? Higher energy prices are prompting Americans to consider alternative energy sources such as solar and geothermal. Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) will join market to talk about an upcoming Clean Energy Center in Maryland that will introduce the public to the renewable energy industry. The college basketball championship season is here and America?s Business will pay homage to college sports by talking to two former college athletes who are involved in manufacturing. And the program will visit Imagine Tomorrow, a special program that helps kids get interested in technology that could be useful when they grow up and decide to pursue a manufacturing career. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of America Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...America is headed for trouble if it doesn?t kick its spending habit, says Tennessee Democratic Rep. John Tanner. The federal debt is a massive $9 trillion dollars. All that money spent paying interest on this debt could go to fixing roads and bridges and investing in human capital such as education and healthcare, says Tanner, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick.? ?There is no country that I know of in recorded civilization that had an unhealthy, uneducated population that was strong and free,? Tanner says. President Bush is pressing Congress to approve an agreement to open Colombia?s markets to American goods and services. Politico reporter Victoria McGrane will talk to Mike about the odds Congress will back the deal. The Senate may also take up a climate change bill that critics say wouldn?t stop global warming and would wreck the economy. William O?Keefe from the George C. Marshall Institute will talk more about the bill?s down side. National Association of Realtors economist Lawrence Yun will tell us whether the stagnant housing market will turn around soon. And Loews Corp. President and Chief Executive Jim Tisch will tell Mike why a lower corporate gains tax rate would benefit business. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Sen. George Voinovich says a pending Senate bill that would address global warming by limiting U.S. greenhouse gas emissions is ineffective, would hurt the economy and spark higher energy prices. Voinovich is a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick" radio program. ?Basically, what it does is it ignores the international impact of greenhouse gases and just concentrates on the United States,? the Ohio Republican says about the America?s Climate Security Act of 2007.? ?In addition, it really is a real blow to the jaw of the U.S economy.? Frivolous lawsuits are tying up courts around the country. A Pacific Research Institute expert will talk to Mike about a report on states that are saints and sinners when it comes to tort costs and litigation risk. March Madness, the college basketball championship season, is here. It would be hard to keep up with the action on the court without manufacturers such as Daktronics. We?ll visit the South Dakota electronic scoreboard maker. ?America?s Business? will explore issues important to state-level manufacturers in a conversation with officials from the Illinois Manufacturers' Association and the Association of Washington Business. And we?ll find out how the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce in Tennessee is pitching the region?s ample water supplies to attract manufacturers. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of America Justice Partnership gives us the latest on tort reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Rep. Joe Donnelly says you are hurting American manufacturers and jobs when you buy a bootleg DVD or fake Rolex watch on the street corner. Donnelly, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? radio program, introduced a bipartisan bill to battle product piracy in the United States and abroad. ?It takes intellectual property theft much more seriously (and) creates stronger law enforcement network to fight it so that we can stand up for our manufacturers and make sure our ingenuity and ideas are protected,? the Indiana Democrat said. Freelance reporter Phaedra Hise returns to the program to talk about her Popular Mechanics magazine article on five American manufacturing success stories. The owner of one the companies profiled in her story ? Drew Greenblatt of Marlin Steel Wire Products in Baltimore ? will also appear on the program. Manufacturers are scrambling to find well-trained workers. Mike will talk with an executive from Die-Tech metal stamping company in Pennsylvania about an innovative program they use to sharpen employee skills. You can tune into ?America?s Business? this week to find out how the recently enacted, $168-billion economic stimulus plan will benefit McCutcheon's Apple Products in Maryland. And Sandra Westlund-Deenihan, president of Quality Float Works in Illinois, will join Mike to discuss the advantages U.S. manufacturers will gain from a pending trade pact with Colombia. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest on legal reform and commentator Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close the program with ?The Last Word? when he talks about why innovation is so vital to America?s future. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have said they would try to reopen parts of the North American Free Trade Agreement. But a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? radio program says NAFTA is fine as is. Tampering with the pact would sour relations with Canada and Mexico and threaten the economy, said Dan Ikenson,associate director of the Cato Institute Center for Trade Policy Studies. ?It?s a terrible thing to be talking about at a time when U.S. export growth has been crucial,? Ikenson says. ?Four years in a row we?ve set records in exports.? All the talk about the decline and fall of American manufacturing is overblown. Mike will talk to reporter Phaedra Hise about her recent Popular Mechanics magazine story on American manufacturers who succeed despite the odds. We?ll also visit one of those manufacturers ? the American Bicycle Group. Natural gas is a crucial part of America?s energy supply. Natural Gas Supply Association President Skip Horvath will join Mike to talk about what role natural gas will play in America?s future. ?America?s Business? will also chat with a business executive who says manufacturing know-how can help companies slash healthcare costs. And we?ll visit a Wisconsin boat horn manufacturer that has achieved a rare feat ? the same family has run it for more than 100 years. In our regular segment Renee Giachino of America Justice Partnership will give us the latest on tort reform. And the National Association of Manufacturers President John Engler will close out the program with ?The Last Word.? And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...The Washington Post and CNN say Alabama Democrat Rep. Artur Davis is a future leader to watch. The Harvard Law School graduate sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees trade, taxes and other vital business issues. And Davis, a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick,? is keen on using trade deals, worker training and other steps to keep manufacturing strong. ?Obviously, we need to make sure that the international rules of trade are fairly enforced and that they just don?t apply to the United States,? he told Mike. ?America?s Business? will also go to ?The land Down Under? to meet the Australian Industry Group and will chat with an executive from an American mining and farm equipment company that does business in Australia. Coal provides much of the nation?s electricity but has a dirty reputation. A Duke Energy official will talk about technology that reduces coal?s impact on the air we breathe. This week you?ll meet the person to go to at the U.S. Small Business Administration if you need help clearing regulatory hurdles. And with Black History Month closing, we?ll talk to a University of Houston expert about the many contributions of African American inventors. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest report on tort reform while commentator Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close out the program with ?The Last Word.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Healthcare costs in America are soaring but Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) says his bipartisan Promotion of Health Information Technology Act could save lives and money. The bill would do this partly by using technology to boost health care quality of care and efficiency, says Rogers, who appears on this week?s edition of ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick.??Last year alone, about 98,000 people were either killed, 1.3 million injured, because there were inconsistencies in the medication that were given to patients,? Rogers said. ?Think of what that costs the system not only in human life?but in the extra costs of trying to treat that patient and get that patient back on their feet.? Assistant Commerce Secretary Woody Sutton has a big job. Sutton, who promotes U.S. manufacturing around the globe, will talk to Mike about the state of the industry and issues manufacturers will face in 2008. You can also tune into ?America?s Business? to learn more about a study that says a controversial Environmental Protection Agency plan to reduce smog could cast a dark cloud over our already troubled economy. Mike will also talk to noted economist Arthur Laffer about what states are best for business and another program segment will look at the booming clean technology investment market. And the National Association of Manufacturers President Gov. John Engler will close out the program when he gives us "The Last Word." For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Americans are already planning on how to spend tax rebate checks they?ll get from the $168-billion economic stimulus plan. But America?s newest senator, Republican Roger Wicker from Mississippi, said the plan?s business incentives are much more important than one-time checks. ?I think more so than the tax rebates are the job creating incentives that we provided for business to purchase equipment that helps create jobs,? said Wicker, who appeared on this week?s edition of ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick.? ?America?s Business? will also hear about a plan to fix the nation?s aging roads and bridges from Patrick Quinn, a member of the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission. Quinn is also co-chairman of the U.S. Xpress Enterprises Inc. Marian Blakey of the Aerospace Industries Association will explain why U.S. aerospace exports are soaring and listeners will find out why the National Association of Manufacturers went to court to fight a lobbying disclosure law that threatens privacy of trade association members. Do you want to get a coveted, environmentally friendly ?green? label for your product or service? A Federal Trade Commission official will tell you how. And to close the program, The National Association of Manufacturers President John Engler will give us ?The Last Word.?For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...Europe is way ahead of the United States when it comes to nuclear energy. But Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), a guest on this week?s ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick,? said America should be the No. 1 nation when it comes to nuclear and other alternative energy. ?Let?s advance nuclear, let?s solve the problems of the world, let?s build energy technologies out of this country and export them to the world,? says Wamp, who sits on the House Nuclear Energy Working Group. Rep. Melissa Bean (D-IL) returns to ?America?s Business" to discuss her recent trip to Columbia and the status of a pending U.S.-Columbia free trade pact. Author Garrett Graff will join Mike to discuss how technology and globalization are revolutionizing political campaigns. Meanwhile, Tom Tanton from the Institute for Energy Research will explain the ramifications of California suing EPA to create its own emissions rules to fight global warming. ?America?s Business? will also visit an inner city Washington, D.C. high school that is getting kids interested in robotics, a technology vital to manufacturing. And closing out the program is the ?The Last Word? from the National Association of Manufacturers President John Engler on the California EPA lawsuit. For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...The economy is shaky and President Bush and Congress are trying to get it back on firm ground with a $150-billion stimulus plan. Rep. Melissa Bean (D-IL), a guest on this week?s edition of ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick,? talks about the significance of the stimulus package and how soon Congress may approve it. The plan already passed the House. Bean knows what she?s talking about. She helped craft the stimulus package and some of her tax incentives for businesses are included in the plan. ?In the House we?re moving full speed ahead,? she said. ?The question now is what the Senate does. And that?s always the question.? The presidential primary season is heating up and Super Tuesday is almost upon us. ?America?s Business? will talk to political pollster John McLaughlin to see who could come out on top in the Democrat and Republican races. Meanwhile, the National Association of Manufacturers economist Dave Huether will tell Mike whether the dark clouds of recession will roll in during 2008 and ?America?s Business? will air the second installment of its series on the resurging nuclear power industry with a visit to Dominion Resources. And to close the program, The National Association of Manufacturers President John Engler will give us ?The Last Word? when he talks about why manufacturers need research and development tax credits. For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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sses and residences slash heating and cooling bills, sometimes by half. Americans are worried about a recent surge in unsafe food, toys and other imported products. This concern has made products made right here in the United States a lot more desirable. But what does it take for a product to earn a ?Made In U.S.A? label? Federal Trade Commission attorney Laura Koss will tell Mike about the process.And ?America?s Business? will explore a troubling proposed EPA smog rule that could give our stumbling economy another blow. Environmental consultant and former Indiana state representative Bruce Carter will explain why the proposed rule is scientifically flawed and bad for business. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of American Justice Partnership gives us the latest report on tort reform while the NAM's Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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ident John Engler gives us ?The Last Word? when he talks about a favorable Supreme Court decision that will shield businesses from unnecessary lawsuits. For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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and exports are for the nation?s electronics makers.For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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anufacturers President John Engler gives us ?The Last Word? when he talks about how the bright lights of Broadway could go dark if New York officials succeed in closing the Indian Point nuclear power plant. For more about ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? and to listen to the program online, please click here. And for video highlights and more, check out www.americasbusiness.org.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...This Week, America's Business, a rash of product recalls made toy safety a big issue in the news as this year's holiday shopping season approached. The recalls also prompted Congress to consider strengthening the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the agency charged with ensuring products sold in stores don?t hurt consumers and vulnerable children. This week on ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) will report on the status of legislation to increase funding and enact reforms at the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Dingell is chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is working on the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act. ?America?s Business? will explore another issue important to manufacturing ? opening new markets abroad through trade agreements. U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab will join Mike to talk about the recently approved Peru trade pact and other initiatives. Although World Trade Organization members weren't able to finish the Doha round to further open global markets, 2007 was still a banner year for U.S. trade, Schwab says. "Anticipating equally busy and productive 2008," she says. And Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX), co-chairman of the Reliable Energy Caucus, will share his views on how energy legislation is shaping up in Congress. On a lighter note ?America?s Business? will take a look at popular gifts this holiday season. A Sony official will review some of that company?s hottest-selling electronic gadgets. Then ?America?s Business? will go low-tech when it visits Whittle Shortline Railroad, a Missouri company that makes traditional wooden toys. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of America Justice Partnership gives us the heroes and villains of tort reform battles while the National Association of Manufacturers Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the NAM Manufacturers President John Engler gives us ?The Last Word? when he delivers a holiday message.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...This Week, America's Business is turning its attention to a problem hitting the pocketbooks of manufacturers and everyday Americans ? rising energy prices. The price of a gallon of gas recently averaged of $3 a gallon, up 30% from a year ago. Congressman Nick Lampson (D-TX) will join Mike to talk about why he was one of a handful of Democrats who recently voted against a controversial House energy bill. Lampson says the bill doesn?t boost fuel supplies and could cause more pain at the pump. ?The bill really didn?t do anything to reduce energy costs for families in my opinion who are struggling to make ends meet,? Lampson says. Meanwhile Alexander ?Andy? Karsner, assistant energy secretary, will discuss a program to help industrial plants cut energy costs. The Energy Department?s ?Save Energy Now? initiative appears to be working and ?America?s Business? has the proof ? an official from Dow Chemical will tell Mike how the program helped his company slash energy expenses. America has sired some great inventors ? Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison and George Washington Carver to name a few. But are Americans losing the lead when it comes to thinking up fresh ideas and products? John Kao, author of ?Innovation Nation,? is worried we?ve lost our edge. He?ll drop by America?s Business to discuss this problem and how it could affect America?s future.?In my mind, it?s a scenario where America could become a much less happy place to live,? Kao says. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of America Justice Partnership gives us the heroes and villains of tort reform battles and the NAM?s Hank Cox recalls the ?The Way It Was.? And the National Association of Manufacturers President John Engler gives us The Last Word when he talks about a proposed EPA ozone regulation that could cause the loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...This Week, America's Business spotlights some issues of tantamount importance to U.S. manufacturers ? energy costs and environmental regulations. There is energy legislation moving through Congress that could put a dent in American pocketbooks and threaten millions of jobs. David Montgomery, vice president of CRA International, will join Mike to talk about his group?s recent survey of the legislation?s economic impact. "By 2030 we estimate that the change in the standard of living of the average U.S family due to this legislation would be the equivalent of a loss of about $1,700 in income," Montgomery said. American skies are bluer than they?ve been in decades under current EPA ozone regulations. EPA is ignoring this fact. The agency is proposing a more stringent ozone rule that will punish manufacturers who have already worked hard to cut emissions to meet the current standard, which is working quite well. H. Sterling Burnett from the National Center for Policy Analysis will tell Mike why the EPA anti-smog proposal doesn?t make sense. Other guests on ?America?s Business with Mike Hambrick? include Bill Downey, president and chief executive officer of Kansas City Power and Light Co. and James Knott Sr., president of Riverdale Mills Corp. in Massachusetts. Downey will talk about how his company reached a deal with environmentalists to build a new coal-fired electricity plant. And Knott will discuss how the falling value of the U.S. dollar isn?t necessarily a bad thing ? it?s helped his wire mesh product company and other manufacturers boost exports. Think all that Maine produces is lobsters? Todd French, chairman of Maine Built Boats, will tell Mike what his group is doing to promote the Pine Tree State?s centuries-old boat manufacturing industry.?

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merica?s Business? this week is also launching a special series ? the best and brightest in manufacturing. Mike will chat with a representative from Hypertherm, a New Hampshire metal cutting technology company. The Society for Human Resource Management four times picked Hypertherm as one of the best places to work in America. The National Association of Manufacturers? Hank Cox recalls ?The Way It Was.? And the NAM President John Engler gives us "The Last Word, commenting on Congressional passage of the Peru trade agreement and why the American economy would benefit from more trade pacts.

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...This Week on America's Business...New trade deals with Peru, Columbia and Panama are a win-win for America, the National Association of Manufacturers President John Engler says on this week's "America's Business with Mike Hambrick." American markets are already open to these Latin American nations. The agreements would simply make trade with them a two-way street, favoring American industries and jobs, Gov. Engler says. The House passed the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (H.R. 3688) in November by a vote of 285-132 and the Senate is expected to take the bill up soon. Engler tells Mike he can't understand why a lawmaker would vote against the Peru deal, or a Panama or Columbia trade agreement for that matter. "We ought to be doing everything we can to open up wide the opportunities for our companies and our jobs right here in the United States," he says. Engler, who recently returned from a trade and manufacturing trip to Asia, will also talk about why Japan's growing economy offers great opportunities for American manufacturers. And Phil Poel, senior vice president of global operations at the Wolverine World Wide shoe company, will join Mike to discuss how his company gained a foothold in China. With the holiday travel season upon us, gasoline prices are on the minds of many Americans. Daniel Yergin, president of Cambridge Energy Research Associates, will discuss a report that paints a sobering picture of America's energy future. Joseph Minarik of the Committee for Economic Development will talk about another problem facing Americans -- higher healthcare costs. Minarik's group recently unveiled a proposal to provide quality, affordable healthcare by moving beyond employer-based healthcare systems. And if you think American kids aren't interested in manufacturing, think again. Ron Wilson at the Livonia Career Technical Center in Michigan is moving the old-fashioned high school shop class into the 21st century. Ron offers more details on the center. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of the America Justice Partnership gives us the heroes and villains of the tort reform battles and the NAM?s Hank Cox recalls ?The Way It Was.?

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Dear Subscribers: Be sure to check out the new America's Business vodcast at www.americasbusiness.org...This Week on America's Business...issues affecting U.S. manufacturers, including a controversial hardrock mining bill, America?s ailing bridges and roads, taxes and water regulations.Rep. Don Young (R-AK) tells Mike why he voted against the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, which could impose taxes on mining companies and hike raw material costs for manufacturers.Young, former chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, will also say what Congress must do to fix the nation?s deteriorating infrastructure. Eugene Sukup, who runs an Iowa grain bin and silo business, will join Mike to talk about the devastating human cost of the estate tax. Sukup recently told the Senate Finance Committee that if he died today his sons must sell the company to pay the so-called ?death tax.? Hundreds of jobs would be the lost, striking a serious blow against the economy of tiny Sheffield, Iowa. Tim Carlson, president of the Coalition for Tax Fairness, will also join Mike for a discussion on another tax that hurts working Americans ? the alternative minimum tax. The American Farm Bureau?s Don Parrish and Missouri hog farmer Chris Chinn will offer the nuts and bolts on how businesses could be affected by legislation to give EPA and the Army Corp of Engineers control over wet areas.On a lighter note Dan McGregor, chief executive officer of Rose City Manufacturing in Springfield, Ohio, will spread the word about his multimedia presentation that celebrates manufacturing. McGregor is taking the exhibit around the country. In our regular segments, Renee Giachino of the America Justice Partnership gives us the heroes and villains of the tort reform battles and the NAM?s Hank Cox recalls ?The Way It Was.? And Gov. John Engler gives us the last word, a message on the importance of export controls.

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