Bishop relishes home state results as nation’s tax law spurs automotive industry growth

U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop (R-MI) is basking in the rewards being reaped by his home state from the nation’s recently enacted tax reform legislation signed into law in December 2017.

“The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is already delivering tangible results for our workforce, and in particular here in Michigan,” said Rep. Bishop during a Feb. 22 tour of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) assembly plant in Warren, Mich. “We are seeing additional U.S. investments, higher wages and increased benefits for employees.”

In fact, the benefits of the tax reform measure spurred FCA to announce in a Jan. 11 statement that it plans to relocate the truck production site from Mexico to Michigan in 2020, adding 2,500 jobs to the Warren area and updating the truck assembly plant there, while overall solidifying the United States as the international manufacturing base for its Ram products, according to Bishop’s office.

The 2,500 new jobs would be over and above the number of jobs related to FCA’s January 2017 announcement that it would spend a part of $1 billion dedicated for expanding its Jeep product line to invest in the Warren plant, according to FCA’s Jan. 11 statement.

The company said it also plans to dole out $2,000 bonus checks to about 60,000 American FCA salaried and hourly employees, except for senior firm leadership, raising FCA’s total investment in the U.S. to more than $10 billion since 2009.

“These announcements reflect our ongoing commitment to our U.S. manufacturing footprint and the dedicated employees who have contributed to FCA’s success,” said Sergio Marchionne, chief executive officer of FCA. “It is only proper that our employees share in the savings generated by tax reform.”

“Our state is a leader in the automotive industry and FCA’s decision to relocate production of the Ram Heavy Duty truck to Michigan, bringing 2,500 jobs, will help generate additional automotive-related innovation throughout our community and provide good-paying jobs for Michiganders,” Bishop said last week. “This is great news for the comeback state and for our automotive legacy.”