Rare bipartisan bills offer government support
By Terry Troy
Manufacturers are receiving rare bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate as three senators from either side of the aisle are working on legislation that will help streamline and codify the help the national government gives manufacturers not only in Ohio, but across the country. U.S. Senators Mark Rubio (R-FL), Todd Young (R-IN) and Gary Peters (D-MI) are involved with the bipartisan efforts, which were applauded by manufacturing associations across the country.
The National Manufacturing Advisory Council for the 21st Century Act, which Sen. Peters introduced with Sen. Rubio, would revive and elevate the National Manufacturing Advisory Council, which advises the federal government on manufacturing programs and provides private sector guidance and insight to the federal government. The Council has met intermittently in recent years, and this bill would more formally establish the Council as a critical component in federal manufacturing policy and strategy.
The Manufacturing.gov Act, which Sen. Peters introduced with U.S. Sen. Young and Sen. Rubio, codifies into law a manufacturing.gov hub, which would serve as a one-stop hub to connect manufacturers with federal manufacturing programs. The legislation would require the Department of Commerce to utilize artificial intelligence to further enable the website to answer questions from manufacturers and to receive feedback from manufacturers about their needs.
Similar to legislation rolled out by Sen. Peters last year, the National Institute of Manufacturing Act aligns and empowers manufacturing throughout the Department of Commerce, creating a single manufacturing institute to house federal manufacturing programs.
Sen. Peters has heard from manufacturers about the need for a unified national strategy on manufacturing to boost our manufacturers and enable them to keep pace with competitors in other countries. That’s why he first proposed creating a National Institute of Manufacturing in 2019, well before the pandemic reinforced the urgent need for the U.S. to bolster domestic manufacturing and supply chains. Peters’ legislation seeks to better address both short-term supply chain issues highlighted by the pandemic and longer-term problems related to a lack of a national manufacturing strategy.
“Our international competitors know something I have long said: you cannot be a great country if you don’t make things. For too long, our federal government has taken a piecemeal approach to manufacturing that has stifled innovation and puts us at a global competitive disadvantage,” said Sen. Peters. “This pandemic further exposed the very serious challenges in our federal manufacturing strategy, and we must prioritize manufacturing as a major national priority.”
“The Association of Equipment Manufacturers applauds Senator Gary Peters for his steadfast leadership on behalf of the manufacturing sector and for introducing legislation that will ensure that innovation is made in America and strengthen our long-term competitiveness in the global economy,” said Dennis Slater, president of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. “Equipment manufacturers represent twelve percent of the entire U.S. manufacturing sector and support 2.8 million family-sustaining jobs across the country. Our economic prosperity and national security depend on a strong manufacturing sector, and the legislative package developed by Senator Peters will mobilize a comprehensive, coordinated, and competent national effort in support of the manufacturing sector and its workforce. We applaud the Senator for his bold and tireless leadership on behalf of the manufacturing sector and we urge all Democrat and Republican Senators to support this important package of legislation.”
“We applaud Senator Gary Peters for introducing this suite of bills to strengthen domestic manufacturing,” added Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. “The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear that it is time for the United States to shore up its critical manufacturing capabilities, which will not only better prepare us for the next crisis but also create jobs and boost the economy. Increased coordination between the many programs designed to support our manufacturers and their workers is an important step towards rebuilding our industrial base.”
