The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association took part in a meeting with White House staff during which it sought information on changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement that might be sought by the Trump Administration

MEMA met with staff members of the National Economic Council to address several issues of importance to motor vehicle parts suppliers, including trade, tax reform and regulatory reform During the meeting MEMA’s team specifically brought up the timing and process for changes the Trump administration was considering in its review of NAFTA.

The meeting also addressed the need for corporate tax reform, support for manufacturing jobs, and how a border adjustment tax could impact the supplier, manufacturer, and aftermarket parts industries.

“Suppliers play a leading role in job creation and investment growth and are a major contributor to the national economy,” said Steve Handschuh, MEMA president and CEO . “For this reason, our participation in discussions like this regarding free trade agreements and tax reform is critical.”

The meeting also served to create greater awareness at the White House of the motor vehicle parts supplier industry, which manufactures and remanufactures parts, components, and systems for use in passenger cars and heavy duty vehicles and represents the largest manufacturing sector in the U.S.-- directly employing more than 871,000 Americans.

This meeting was the first of many conversations MEMA said it expects to have with Trump administration officials in the coming weeks.

MEMA said it has aligned with the goals of the Trump administration and Congress to strengthen America’s global manufacturing competitiveness and to create more U.S. jobs.

To reach those goals, MEMA is advocating for a simplified, more predictable tax code to generate more investment, economic growth, and job creation.

“We felt that they were eager to learn about our industry and to have our input,” said Bill Long, MEMA executive vice president of government affairs and Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association president and COO.

“This was an important opportunity to establish a working relationship with the Trump administration and to articulate the significant the economic impact our industry has on the American economy," he added.