Autos Drive America Unveils 2025 Policy Priorities

Autos Drive America, the leading trade association for international automakers with U.S. operations, released its 2025 policy priorities for the 119^th Congress. The association’s priorities outline essential policy positions that will bolster the U.S. manufacturing sector, attract more investment to the U.S., and create additional good-paying, stable American jobs across the country.

“International automakers have made America their home, investing heavily in manufacturing, workforce development, and supply chain resilience over the last 60+ years,” said Jennifer Safavian, president and CEO of Autos Drive America. “Our members are committed to expanding their U.S. operations and investments, providing more consumer choice, and creating more American jobs. The right policies will be crucial to unlocking our potential and allowing us to do our part to make the U.S. a manufacturing superpower at home and on the global stage.”

Autos Drive America’s policy priorities include:

• Expanding Trade to Drive Growth: Autos Drive America advocates for advancing and deepening trade relationships with key allies, including North American neighbors, the United Kingdom, Japan, the European Union, and African nations. Strengthening trade relationships reduces barriers, spurs investment, and secures supply chains. Additionally, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) has provided a stable framework for North American trade. Ensuring continuity in its implementation is crucial for business certainty, sustained investment, and maintaining competitive advantages in the global market.
• Passing Pro-Growth Tax Policies to Support U.S. Manufacturing: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was a key driver for the U.S. automotive industry. Autos Drive America supports additional tax policies that drive innovation, manufacturing, and workforce development, including restoring R&D expensing to accelerate technological advancements, extending bonus depreciation to support critical investments, and preserving the Foreign-Derived Intangible Income (FDII) deduction to promote U.S. innovation and exports.
• Building a 21st Century Workforce: International automakers are committed to equipping workers with the skills needed to advance their careers and maintain the U.S. auto industry’s global competitiveness. Autos Drive America supports action to enhance international automakers’ 140 workforce development programs, including bipartisan reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), expansion of industry-recognized apprenticeship programs, and broadening Pell Grant eligibility to include high-quality technical education programs.
• Encouraging Innovation in Automotive Technology: International automakers are at the forefront of developing the technologies and innovations that expand consumer choice and make vehicles safer and more convenient around the world. Autos Drive America encourages lawmakers to secure critical supply chains giving the U.S. access to critical minerals and maintain key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, such as section 45X and clean vehicle credits.
• Investing in Infrastructure for a Stronger Industry: U.S. auto manufacturers rely on our country’s infrastructure system to keep the automotive manufacturing supply chain strong. Autos Drive America supports policies that ensure the maintenance of our nation’s roads, bridges, rail systems, and waterways.

“International automakers have played a tremendous role in revitalizing U.S. manufacturing over the last several decades—and our members show no signs of stopping,” Safavian said. “We look forward to working alongside the Trump administration and 119^th Congress to continue supporting the growth and strength of the U.S. auto industry.”