In remarks prepared for the group's annual year-end luncheon, Melcher lauded increased efforts by the U.S. Commerce Department and other government officials to promote U.S. aerospace and weapons trade, but said more was needed.
Melcher said the AIA had fought hard to revive the U.S. Export-Import Bank, which provides credit financing for U.S. aircraft and satellite exports among other things.
Congress reauthorized the bank for four years in December after a five-month shutdown that cost U.S. exporters hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts and thousands of lost jobs, according to the export-import bank's chairman..
Melcher said the AIA was now pressing Congress and the White House to ensure the trade bank could approve loans larger than $10 million. It cannot make larger loans until the Senate approves a nominee for at least one of three vacant board seats.
The group also remained concerned about U.S. military spending cuts in fiscal 2017 that it said are expected to disproportionately hit procurement and research and development.
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