On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 379-38 for bipartisan legislation requiring the Administration to consult with the private sector to implement a national manufacturing strategy that will strengthen our industrial base and help put Americans back to work.
Co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Don Manzullo (R-IL) and 59 other Members of Congress, the National Manufacturing Strategy Act (H.R. 4692) requires the President to create a public-private Manufacturing Strategy Board within the Commerce Department that will analyze all aspects of U.S. manufacturing, develop short- and long-term goals for job creation, and implement a strategy to achieve those goals.
The board will include federal officials, two state governors from different parties, and nine private sector leaders in the manufacturing industry. The first strategy will be due one year after the bill is signed into law, and subsequent strategies will be required every four years, in the second year of each Presidential term.
Under the bill, the President's Board will provide an annual review of the state of manufacturing, assess the implementation of the Strategy's recommendations, and recommend ways to further the Strategy's implementation. Every four years, the Government Accountability Office will analyze the implementation of the Strategy, its recommendations, and the process for developing the Strategy. The National Academy of Sciences will also be required to produce a study of the manufacturing industry to aid policymakers. Public hearings will be held prior to the Strategy's development and a draft of the report will be made available for 30 days for public comments that may be incorporated into the final version."Manufacturing is the lifeblood of the American economy and its continued strength is key to putting Americans back to work. For too long, manufacturing has received second-class treatment from our government. While Washington hesitates to act, American industries are withering under intense global competition and jobs have gone overseas," said Manzullo, founder and co-chair of the House Manufacturing Caucus. "It's time for the federal government to get serious and implement an agenda to strengthen American manufacturing and restore American jobs, and that's exactly what this legislation will require."
