Whatever your politics, Cummins Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger made a strong case about elements of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan last week. He concisely explained how key parts of the stalled legislation could help Columbus-based Cummins, its workforce, the communities it serves, the economy — maybe even the planet.
Joining other captains of industry at the White House — including leaders from General Motors, Ford, Microsoft and HP — Linebarger struck an urgent tone about our nation’s priorities and challenges, particularly climate change and the need for families to have affordable child care. These are concerns Linebarger and other business leaders are dealing with every day in one form or another. They’re also worries for parents and their children.
At Cummins, Linebarger has been at the forefront of driving a revolution toward renewable propulsion, a critical goal in confronting climate change. For example, just a couple of weeks ago, Cummins announced a joint venture with Isuzu to develop electric box trucks. Cummins also is partnering with a multitude of manufacturers to develop vehicle systems using hydrogen and other clean fuel systems.
Linebarger was blunt about the urgency he sees.
“I think we’re out of time,” the Cummins chief told Biden. “My view is that we’re out of time to protect our climate, and we’re out of time to make sure that American companies are the ones that lead the world in these technologies.”
He noted, however, that a transportation revolution to cleaner drivetrain systems cannot happen without incentives provided by the federal government. The $550 billion in spending and tax credits aimed at promoting clean energy that are part of Build Back Better would shift private investments in such technologies into overdrive.
Linebarger and other executives make a compelling case, summed up in the word that’s the holy grail for politicians, regardless of party: Jobs. “When we invest, we can win, and we can create jobs for our workers here in the United States,” he said. “That’s what we intend to do at Cummins.”
Jobs alone aren’t enough to build thriving communities, and Linebarger also appealed for the federal government to do more to help families raising children. “There’s no question that the families that work for our company, child care is a significant burden to them. So, it’s clearly an issue that needs to be addressed. And there’s no question that we hear about it a lot. We offered new benefits in our company for both child care and for family leave, and I get more notes about that than pretty much anything else I do,” he told Biden.
It’s doubtful Linebarger and other CEOs will jump-start the massive nearly $2 trillion BBB bill, which is at a dead-end in the Senate after passing the House. But that’s not why Biden convened the executives.
The president has signaled an intent to pare down elements of his huge Build Back Better package to those that have broad bipartisan support — investments in the economy that will pay immediate and long-term dividends.
With passionate voices like Linebarger’s lending urgency to popular parts of the bill — such as meaningful child care benefits and incentives for alternative fuel systems — Congress just might be moved to deliver for the American people.
