THE ALUMINUM ASSOCIATION, INC. for ALUMINUM ASSOCIATION INC
What was lobbied
3 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Trade (domestic/foreign) TRD
see addendum The members of the Aluminum Association are domestic producers of primary and secondary ingot, aluminum mill products and castings. Mill products include sheet and plate, foil, extrusions, forgings and impacts, electrical conductor, and wire and rod and bar. The membership also includes producers of master alloys and additives and aluminum pigments and powders. The Association is a primary source for statistics, technical standards and information on aluminum and the aluminum industry in the United States. The Aluminum industry operates about 470 plants in 40 U.S. states and employs nearly 100,000 people with approximately $3.5 billion in total payroll. While Association member companies conduct business worldwide, the U.S. aluminum industry ranks first in the world in annual primary aluminum production capacity, accounting for about 16 percent of world supply or over 4 million metric tons of metal. Overview. The members of the Aluminum Association are fully committed to a fair and open world market for aluminum, The Aluminum Association strongly supports the initiation of global trade negotiations in the World Trade Organization (WTO). The Association supports a comprehensive approach to the phased-in reduction and elimination of tariffs over a multi-year period, not to exceed 10 years. In addition, we believe that all aluminum producing, importing and exporting countries should participate in the Round, and that no country be required to reduce or eliminate its tariffs on a unilateral basis. Background. The aluminum industry is global. The largest aluminum producers are multinational companies with production, fabrication and distribution facilities around the world. During 2000, world aluminum primary production totaled an estimated 24 million metric tons. The leading producing countries include the United States, Russia, Canada, the European Union, China, Brazil, Norway, South Africa, Venezuela, the Gulf States (Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates), India, Australia and New Zealand. Together they represent more than 90% of the world's primary aluminum production. The largest aluminum markets are North America, Europe and East Asia. The U.S. is both a major importer and exporter of aluminum. Approximately 33.5% of the U.S. supply of aluminum was imported in 2000 from foreign producers in the form of primary ingot and scrap. In 2000, U.S. exports amounted to 11.4% of U.S. producer shipments in the form of ingot, scrap and mill products. The free flow of aluminum products on a global scale is vital to the future success of the U.S. aluminum industry and we believe that the WTO Round will achieve this goal.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| ROBERT HARRIS | — |
| JOHN STEPHEN LARKIN | — |
| ROBERT PAUL STRIETER | — |
Environment/Superfund ENV
From an environmental perspective, the aluminum industry is also a leader in the preservation of natural resources. Total North American aluminum industry supply in 2005 was 25 billion pounds, 29 percent of which was recycled aluminum. Of the 100.6 billion aluminum cans shipped in the US in 2006, 51.6 percent (52 billion) were recycled. Almost 90 percent of automotive aluminum is reclaimed and recycled. Recycling of aluminum saves energy and avoids emissions in the making of new aluminum ore
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| ROBERT HARRIS | — |
| JOHN STEPHEN LARKIN | — |
| ROBERT PAUL STRIETER | — |
Energy/Nuclear ENG
see addendum ENERGY Americans consume aluminum primarily in transportation (31 percent), containers and packaging (23 percent) and building and construction (14 percent). The advances in the automotive aluminum market are helping Americans drive better-performing cars that in turn reduce CO2 emissions and save fuel consumption. Closed-loop recycling of Aluminum beverage cans - all recycled cans are used in new can sheet - allows energy conservation and high recycled content. More than two-thirds of all aluminum ever produced is still in use through continuous recycling. Recycled aluminum - from beverage cans to all other cans - requires only about 5 percent of energy as compared to primary ore production. Americans' recycling efforts and the industry's aluminum reclamation system thereby reduces the overall energy consumption in the total U.S. aluminum production by 46 percent. Primary production consumes 507.16 trillion BTUs for 8 billion pounds and recycled secondary aluminum uses 41.3 trillion BTUs for 8.2 billion pounds, making the national industry energy consumption for production 548 trillion BTUs. Energy represents about one third of the total production cost of primary aluminum. Electricity is an essential ingredient in primary aluminum production. These factors together make energy efficiency and energy management prime objectives for the industry. While the industry is a large consumer of both natural gas and electricity, the annual expenditure for electricity by the aluminum industry is more than $2 billion. Manufacturing industries need Congress to complete action on the President's energy and climate proposals so that the economy will benefit from adequate supplies at reasonable prices over the long term. Since the 1970s, the U.S. manufacturing energy consumption has grown at twice the rate of domestic energy production. This gap between energy use and production will continue to adversely affect manufacturing if the country does not resolve national energy policy with a comprehensive U.S. energy strategy that enhances supply, improves infrastructure and increases efficiency, without compromising environmental safeguards or imposing efficiency mandates. Many business and labor leaders, economists and policymakers agree that America must: increase domestic energy supplies in an environmentally sensitive manner; improve energy efficiency, conservation and development of new technologies; expand and secure our energy delivery infrastructure; ensure affordable home energy supplies for low-income households; and thoughtfully streamline energy development regulatory processes.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| ROBERT HARRIS | — |
| JOHN STEPHEN LARKIN | — |
| ROBERT PAUL STRIETER | — |
Shown as published by the Senate Office of Public Records and the House Clerk under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The official filing is the record; open it for the full form.