Keeping up-to-date with politics and issues that influence manufacturing and automation can help facilitate integration of plant automation with the enterprise and beyond. Now that a new Presidential term is underway, it is a perfect time to take a look at newly elected and incumbent legislators' efforts to help the manufacturing industries. November 2000 Cyberpage looked at various legislative efforts related to the Internet and its use.

Also in November 2000, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM, Washington) gave the NAM Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence to 52 U.S. Senators and 209 U.S. Representatives for their "consistent support of American manufacturers and their employees." The award was given to the legislators based on their voting records on legislation affecting manufacturing industries. Recipients show "pro-growth, pro-manufacturing, pro-worker" considerations in their voting.

To find out who won the NAM awards, go to NAM's website (www.nam.org) to find the complete list. Is your congressperson on the list?

For more information about a particular Senator or Representative and how he or she voted recently, go to the U.S. Senate's website (www.senate.gov) or the U.S. House of Representatives' website (www.house.gov). Individual profiles for each congressperson are given there.

Interested in the new President's voting record and views? Go to the U.S. President's website (www.whitehouse.gov) or the George W. Bush official site (www.georgewbush.com) to find out more.

Readers in Canada can go to http://canada.gc.ca to access the Government of Canada's website. Readers in Mexico can go to www.senado.gob.mx to access the Senate's website or www.presidencia.gob.mx to access the President's website.