[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 54 (Thursday, April 28, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E807]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN SUPPORT OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON INC.

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. PAUL RYAN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 28, 2005

  Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce 
legislation on behalf of Harley-Davidson Inc., the only major U.S.-
based motorcycle manufacturer and the world's leading seller of large 
displacement motorcycles. Harley-Davidson was founded in Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin in 1903, and has become a significant part of the social, 
economic, and cultural heritage of the United States. Over the years, 
Harley has provided thousands of jobs to the people of Wisconsin, with 
4,000 Harley employees working in the state today. In addition, Buell 
Motorcycle Company, a subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, Inc., employs 
another 200 workers in East Troy, Wisconsin.
  We must help manufacturers like Harley-Davidson remain competitive in 
the global marketplace so that good, high-paying manufacturing jobs are 
retained in Wisconsin and throughout the United States. Although our 
nation has seen strong economic growth over the past two years, our 
manufacturing sector has not fully recovered all of the jobs that it 
lost as a result of the 2001 recession. In fact, the State of Wisconsin 
is still down 77,200 net manufacturing jobs since January 2001. The 
most effective way to address this problem is to bring down the costs 
of domestic manufacturing so that all companies like Harley are more 
competitive, more profitable, and can employ more hard-working 
Americans.
  The machines included in this legislation are a vital part of 
Harley's manufacturing process, but they are not produced domestically. 
Thus, Harley is forced to pay a 4.4% tariff rate on the equipment they 
require to manufacture their products in the United States. This bill, 
which temporarily eliminates the tariff, will bring down Harley's 
production costs, improve their international competitiveness, and help 
them keep high-paying manufacturing jobs at home.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to pass this 
legislation.

                          ____________________