Hill Day — March 5-6, 2008

The American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC) members and client companies gather once a year in the Washington, D.C. area for its annual "Hill Day" event. The purpose of the event is for ASMC members and clients companies to meet with his/her respective Congressional delegation to advocate support for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program in its annual appropriations process. The support for the MEP program stems from the incredible technical assistance provided by ASMC members to the manufacturing community in efforts to improve the industry's competitiveness through innovative solutions to manufacturers' product, process and people needs. The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership has assisted manufacturers create or retain over $6.765 billion in sales, over $1.115 billion in cost savings, create or retain 52,585 jobs, and increased investment of $1.65 billion in federal fiscal year 2006 alone. MEP's fiscal year 2008 budget was recently enacted and included a decrease of more than 15 percent from its FY07 level, reiterating the incredible need and importance for ASMC and its client companies to advocate for programmatic support through its annual Hill Day events.

ASMC will hold its next annual event on March 5-6, 2008 in Washington, D.C. Our goal for this event is to have most Representatives and Senators sign Dear Colleague letters asking appropriators to provide $122 million for the MEP program in FY09. ASMC has prepared the following materials to make the 2008 Hill Day as successful as possible so that together Congress, ASMC members and client companies can restore the only federal program targeted to help small manufacturers improve competitiveness, which is the Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

ASMC’s 2007 Hill Day has been scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, March 5-6, 2008, at the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel. Rooms can be reserved under the American Small Manufacturers Coalition for $269 per night, plus taxes. This rate is guaranteed through February 12, 2008 and can be made by calling Renaissance Worldwide reservations at 800-HOTELS-1 or directly to the hotel at 202-898-9000. Hill Day participants can also reserve their hotel rooms on-line by using the following link:  Marriott Renaissance, Washington DC

• Map of Capitol Hill
• Downtown D.C. Restaurant List
• Capitol Hill Restaurant List
• Hotel Information

• RSVP Form

The 2008 agenda

• Craig Albright, Chief of Staff
• Timothy Maney, Director, Congressional and Public Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Representative David Wu, Oregon
• Representative Vernon Ehlers, Michigan
• Senator Susan Collins, Maine
• Congressman Joseph Knollenberg, Michigan

• MEP DCL Signers as of April 17, 2008
• 2008 Hill Day Message includes recommendations of what information to prepare and leave with your delegation.
• List of House and Senate Appropriators
• List of House and Senate Authorizers
• ASMC's Position on General MEP Q&As
• Communicating with Congress including tips on how to more effectively communicate with Congress.
• Justification for FY09 Increase
• FY09 Senate Dear Colleague Letter to Appropriators

This information is provided in effort to make your meeting planning, attendance and follow-up as successful as possible.

• Template Invite letter
• Template Follow Up Thank You letter
• Template press release for you to use when working with congressional press secretaries
• Making A Difference Brochure - MEP's impact brochure
• Hands on Help for American's Manufacturers - by MEP
• FY09 House Dear Colleague Letter
• CJS On-Line Appropriations Form
• Hill Day Report Back Form

Carrie Hines
Executive Director
American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC)
1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Suite 600 South
Washington, D.C. 20004
phone: 202/341-7066
fax: 202/315-3906
Carrie.Hines@SmallManufacturers.org