[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1069 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1069
To establish the National Institute of Manufacturing, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 12, 2021
Mr. Peters introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the National Institute of Manufacturing, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Institute of Manufacturing
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the National
Manufacturing Advisory Council established under section 4.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Institute and the principal advisor to the Secretary
regarding manufacturing issues.
(3) Institute.--The term ``Institute'' means the National
Institute of Manufacturing established under section 3.
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1002).
(5) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has
the meaning given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Commerce.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MANUFACTURING.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of
Commerce an institute to be known as the ``National Institute of
Manufacturing''.
(b) Mission.--The primary missions of the Institute are to--
(1) ensure global leadership in advanced manufacturing
technologies critical to the long-term economic and national
security of the United States;
(2) restore and strengthen the United States industrial
commons, which includes the essential skills, equipment, and
suppliers that provide the foundation for the innovativeness
and competitiveness of all United States manufacturers;
(3) strengthen the technical, financial, and educational
conditions and assets necessary to ensure that the United
States is the best location for the creation and production of
advanced technologies emerging from national research and
development investments;
(4) capitalize on the scientific and technological advances
produced by researchers and innovators in the United States by
developing capable and responsive institutions focused on
advancing the technology and manufacturing readiness levels of
those advances;
(5) support the discovery, invention, scale-up, and
transition of new products and manufacturing technologies to
full-scale production in the United States;
(6) address the evolving needs of manufacturers to find a
diverse set of workers with the necessary skills, training, and
expertise;
(7) improve and expand manufacturing engineering and
technology offerings within institutions of higher education
and secondary schools to be more closely aligned with the needs
of the United States manufacturing sector and the goal of
strengthening the long-term competitiveness of United States
manufacturing; and
(8) work collaboratively with the private sector to
leverage the knowledge, resources, and programs of the private
sector to foster manufacturing in the United States and
anticipate and prepare for emergencies and global, national,
and regional supply chain disruptions.
(c) Functions.--In carrying out the purposes of this Act, the
Institute shall--
(1) convene key industry, academic, and other stakeholders
to identify short-, medium-, and long-term needs and priorities
of the manufacturing sector in the United States, including
emergency readiness;
(2) monitor the status of technological developments,
critical production capacity, skill availability, investment
patterns, emerging defense needs, and other key indicators of
manufacturing competitiveness, such as key indicators from
manufacturing dealers, to guide investment decisions;
(3) initiate and support discovery, invention, and
translational research in engineering and manufacturing by
making contracts or other arrangements, including grants,
awards, cooperative agreements, loans, and other forms of
assistance, to conduct that research and to assess the impact
of that research on the economic well-being, climate, and
national security of the United States;
(4) administer programs that incentivize and facilitate
collaboration among private and public sector stakeholders in
United States manufacturing;
(5) award scholarships and graduate fellowships in the
engineering and manufacturing disciplines;
(6) award industrial, academic, and governmental
fellowships to faculty and retired manufacturing experts to
support the manufacturing interests of the United States;
(7) advise United States manufacturers on international
trade and investment policies in international markets and
advise the Federal Government on how to expand business
opportunities for United States manufacturers in international
markets;
(8) develop and assess key indicators of manufacturing
competitiveness, including the geographic diversity of
manufacturing in the United States, and provide interpretation
and analysis of collected data on the manufacturing sector in
the United States;
(9) provide small and medium manufacturers, including new
startups, with financial support, including loans, counseling,
training, technical assistance, and advocacy; and
(10) identify opportunities to achieve commercial-scale
production of emerging technologies by leveraging government
procurement contracts.
(d) Director.--
(1) In general.--There shall be a Director of the
Institute, who shall--
(A) be appointed by the President, by and with the
consent of the Senate;
(B) oversee all Institute activities;
(C) serve as an ex-officio member of the Council;
(D) make recommendations regarding, and manage, the
budget of the Institute; and
(E) advise and consult with the Secretary on all
policy issues relating to manufacturing.
(2) Exercise of authority of the national institute of
manufacturing.--
(A) In general.--Except as otherwise provided, the
Director shall exercise all of the authority granted to
the Institute under this Act, including any powers and
functions that may be delegated to the Director by the
Secretary.
(B) Final actions.--All actions taken by the
Director under this Act, or under the terms of a
delegation described in subparagraph (A), shall be
final and binding upon the Institute.
(3) Duties as director.--The Director shall--
(A) coordinate all activities within the Department
of Commerce relating to manufacturing and advise and
consult with the Secretary on all policy issues
relating to manufacturing;
(B) advise and consult with the Secretary on the
national security supply chain;
(C) monitor the status of technological
developments, critical production capacity, skill
availability, investment patterns, emerging defense
needs, and other key indicators of manufacturing
competitiveness to coordinate with the Chief Financial
Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration of
the Department of Commerce in developing the annual
budgets for manufacturing-related programs of the
Department of Commerce;
(D) oversee and convene the Council; and
(E) solicit input from the public and private
sectors and academia regarding emerging trends in
manufacturing and the responsiveness of Federal
programming.
(4) Term.--The Director shall serve for a term of 6 years,
unless removed earlier by the President.
(e) Directorates.--Unless otherwise provided by the Director, there
shall be within the Institute the following Directorates:
(1) A Directorate for Technology Development, which shall--
(A) make competitive awards to support discovery,
invention, and translational research in the fields of
engineering and manufacturing;
(B) conduct prize competitions in accordance with
section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology
Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719) to stimulate
innovation that has the potential to advance
manufacturing technology;
(C) administer a pilot program establishing
translational research centers associated with
institutions of higher education, which will guide and
fund research needed to translate laboratory results to
testable beta prototypes and facilitate connections
with domestic manufacturers to scale domestic
production; and
(D) administer other programs and activities that
promote technology development.
(2) A Directorate for the Industrial Commons, which shall--
(A) administer the Investing in Manufacturing
Communities Partnership;
(B) administer the Manufacturing USA Program
established under section 34 of the National Institute
of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s); and
(C) administer other programs and activities that
promote robust manufacturing innovation ecosystems and
support manufacturing supply chains in the United
States during emergencies.
(3) A Directorate for Education and Workforce Development,
which shall--
(A) make competitive awards for scholarships and
graduate fellowships;
(B) make competitive awards for industrial,
academic, and governmental fellowships to faculty and
retired manufacturing experts;
(C) make competitive awards for research,
development, and evaluation of innovative training
programs; and
(D) administer programs and activities that promote
the short-term and long-term workforce and education
needs of the manufacturing sector.
(4) A Directorate for Small and Medium Manufacturers, which
shall--
(A) administer programs for loans, investment
capital, and surety bonds for small and medium
manufacturing firms;
(B) administer the Hollings Manufacturing Extension
Partnership Program established under 25 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 278k); and
(C) administer other programs and activities that
help small and medium manufacturers prosper.
(5) A Directorate on Trade, which shall--
(A) manage and oversee an Office of Manufacturer
Trade, which shall--
(i) advise manufacturers in the United
States on trade;
(ii) advise the United States Trade
Representative, the Undersecretary of Commerce
for International Trade, and other entities in
the Federal Government on trade to benefit
manufacturers in the United States;
(iii) receive and solicit recommendations
and feedback from manufacturers in the United
States; and
(iv) appoint an employee of the Office to
serve as a liaison between--
(I) the Office; and
(II)(aa) the United States Trade
Representative; and
(bb) the Industry Trade Advisory
Committees on Aerospace Equipment,
Automotive Equipment and Capital Goods,
and Steel; and
(B) manage and oversee a United States Manufacturer
Trade Council, which shall--
(i) receive and solicit recommendations and
feedback from manufacturers in the United
States; and
(ii) in addition to voting members, be
composed of ex-officio members of the Industry
Trade Advisory Committees described in
subparagraph (A)(iv)(II)(bb).
(f) Authorities.--In carrying out the duties of the Director under
this Act, the Director may--
(1) appoint or create such advisory committees as may be
appropriate for purposes of consultation and advice to the
Institute in the performance of the functions of the Institute;
(2) issue rules governing the manner of operations of the
Institute;
(3) make expenditures necessary for administering the
provisions in this Act;
(4) enter into contracts or other arrangements with
organizations and individuals in the United States and foreign
countries as the Director determines necessary to carry out the
functions of the Institute;
(5) award scholarships and fellowships to citizens of the
United States for the purpose of study or scientific work in
manufacturing;
(6) acquire, construct, hold, and dispose of real and
personal property as the Director determines necessary; and
(7) accept unconditional gifts or donations of services,
money, or property.
(g) Advisory Committees.--The Institute shall manage and oversee
the following advisory committees:
(1) The Council.
(2) The Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board
established under section 25(m) of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(m)).
(3) The Materials Processing Equipment Technical Advisory
Committee.
(h) Patent Rights.--
(1) In general.--Each contract entered into by the Director
shall contain provisions governing the disposition of
inventions produced under the contract.
(2) Prohibition.--No officer or employee of the Institute
may acquire or transfer any rights under the patent laws of the
United States for any invention achieved in performing the
assigned activities of the officer or employee.
(i) Transfer of Functions and Technical and Conforming
Amendments.--
(1) Investing in manufacturing communities partnership.--
(A) Transfer of functions.--All functions of the
Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership of
the Department of Commerce, including the personnel,
assets, and obligations of the Investing in
Manufacturing Communities Partnership of the Department
of Commerce, as in existence on the day before the date
of enactment of this Act, shall be transferred to the
Institute.
(B) Deeming of name.--Any reference in any law,
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the
United States to the Investing in Manufacturing
Communities Partnership of the Department of Commerce
shall be deemed a reference to the Investing in
Manufacturing Communities Partnership of the Institute.
(C) Unexpended balances.--Unexpended balances of
appropriations, authorization, allocations, or other
funds related to the Investing in Manufacturing
Communities Partnership of the Department of Commerce
shall be available for use by the Institute for
purposes for which the appropriations, authorizations,
allocations, or other funds were originally made
available.
(2) Manufacturing usa program.--
(A) Transfer of functions.--All functions of the
Manufacturing USA Program carried out by the National
Office of the Manufacturing USA Network of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology, including the
personnel, assets, and obligations carried out by that
National Office, as in existence on the day before the
date of enactment of this Act, shall be transferred to
the Directorate for the Industrial Commons of the
Institute.
(B) Deeming of name.--Any reference in any law,
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the
United States to the Manufacturing USA Program carried
out by the National Office of the Manufacturing USA
Network of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology shall be deemed a reference to the
Manufacturing USA Program carried out by the
Directorate for the Industrial Commons of the
Institute.
(C) Unexpended balances.--Unexpended balances of
appropriations, authorization, allocations, or other
funds related to the Manufacturing USA Program carried
out by the National Office of the Manufacturing USA
Network of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology shall be available for use by the Institute
for purposes for which the appropriations,
authorizations, allocations, or other funds were
originally made available.
(D) Technical and conforming amendments.--Section
34 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s) is amended--
(i) in subsection (a)--
(I) by redesignating paragraph (2)
as paragraph (3); and
(II) by inserting after paragraph
(1) the following:
``(2) Manufacturing director.--The term `Manufacturing
Director' means the Director of the National Institute of
Manufacturing.'';
(ii) in subsection (b)--
(I) in paragraph (1), by striking
``The Secretary shall establish within
the Institute'' and inserting ``There
is within the National Institute of
Manufacturing'';
(II) in paragraph (3), in the
matter preceding subparagraph (A), by
striking ``The Secretary, acting
through the Director'' and inserting
``The Manufacturing Director, acting
through the Directorate for the
Industrial Commons of the National
Institute of Manufacturing''; and
(III) in paragraph (4)--
(aa) in the paragraph
heading, by inserting
``Manufacturing'' before
``Director'';
(bb) by striking
``Secretary'' and inserting
``Manufacturing Director''; and
(cc) by striking
``Director.'' and inserting
``Directorate for the
Industrial Commons of the
National Institute of
Manufacturing.'';
(iii) in subsections (c)(1), (d)(3)(B),
(f), (h)(3), (h)(4), (h)(5)(A), (h)(5)(B),
(i)(1)(A)(ii), (i)(2)(A), (i)(2)(B)(i),
(i)(2)(B)(ii), (j)(1), (j)(2), (j)(3), (j)(4),
(j)(5), and (j)(7), by striking ``Secretary''
each place that term appears and inserting
``Manufacturing Director'';
(iv) in subsection (e)(1), by striking the
``Secretary and the Secretary of Energy'' and
inserting ``the Manufacturing Director and the
Secretary of Energy'';
(v) in subsection (g), by amending
paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) Authority.--To the extent provided for in advance by
appropriations Acts, the Manufacturing Director may use an
amount not to exceed $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021
through 2026 to carry out this section from amounts
appropriated to the National Institute of Manufacturing.'';
(vi) in subsection (h)(1), by striking
``The Secretary shall establish, within the
Institute,'' and inserting ``There is within
the Directorate for the Industrial Commons of
the National Institute of Manufacturing''; and
(vii) in subsection (i)(1), in the
paragraph heading, by striking ``Secretary''
and inserting ``Manufacturing director''.
(E) References.--Any reference in this Act or an
amendment made by this Act to the Manufacturing USA
Program carried out by the National Office of the
Manufacturing USA Network of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall also be a reference to
the Network for Manufacturing Innovation Program of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(F) Rule of construction for centers of
manufacturing innovation.--Nothing in this Act shall be
construed to affect, or require the transfer to the
Institute of, any Federal financial assistance that is
provided to a center for manufacturing innovation by
any Federal entity other than the Institute under the
Manufacturing USA Program carried out by the National
Office of the Manufacturing USA Network of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology.
(3) Hollings manufacturing extension partnership program.--
(A) Transfer of functions.--All functions of the
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology,
including the personnel, assets, and obligations of the
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology, as
in existence on the day before the date of enactment of
this Act, shall be transferred to the Directorate for
Small and Medium Manufacturers of the Institute.
(B) Deeming of name.--Any reference in any law,
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the
United States to the Hollings Manufacturing Extension
Partnership Program of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall be deemed a reference to
the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Program of the Directorate for Small and Medium
Manufacturers of the Institute.
(C) Unexpended balances.--Unexpended balances of
appropriations, authorization, allocations, or other
funds related to the Hollings Manufacturing Extension
Partnership Program of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall be available for use by
the Directorate for Small and Medium Manufacturers of
the Institute for purposes for which the
appropriations, authorizations, allocations, or other
funds were originally made available.
(D) Technical and conforming amendments.--Section
25 of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) is amended--
(i) in subsection (a)--
(I) by redesignating paragraph (7)
as paragraph (8); and
(II) by inserting after paragraph
(6) the following:
``(7) Manufacturing director.--The term `Manufacturing
Director' means the Director of the National Institute of
Manufacturing.'';
(ii) in subsection (b), by striking
``Secretary, acting through the Director'' and
inserting ``Manufacturing Director, acting
through the Directorate for Small and Medium
Manufacturers of the National Institute of
Manufacturing'';
(iii) in subsection (e), by striking
``Secretary'' each place that term appears and
inserting ``Manufacturing Director'';
(iv) in subsection (f), by striking
``Secretary'' each place that term appears and
inserting ``Manufacturing Director'';
(v) in subsection (g)--
(I) in paragraph (2), in the
paragraph heading, by striking
``secretary'' and inserting
``Manufacturing director''; and
(II) by striking ``Secretary'' each
place that term appears and inserting
``Manufacturing Director'';
(vi) in subsection (h), by striking
``Secretary'' each place that term appears and
inserting ``Manufacturing Director'';
(vii) in subsection (i)--
(I) by striking ``Not'' and all
that follows through ``the Secretary''
and inserting ``Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of the
National Institute of Manufacturing
Act, the Manufacturing Director''; and
(II) by striking ``Institute'' and
inserting ``the Directorate for Small
and Medium Manufacturers of the
National Institute of Manufacturing'';
(viii) in subsection (k), by inserting
``Manufacturing'' before ``Director'' each
place that term appears;
(ix) in subsection (l)--
(I) by striking ``the Secretary and
Director'' each place that term appears
and inserting ``the Manufacturing
Director''; and
(II) by striking ``and from the
private sector under section 2(c)(7) of
this Act (15 U.S.C. 272(c)(7))''; and
(x) in subsection (n)--
(I) in paragraph (1), in the matter
preceding subparagraph (A), by
inserting ``Manufacturing'' before
``Director''; and
(II) in paragraph (2), by striking
``Secretary'' and inserting
``Manufacturing Director''.
(4) Manufacturing extension partnership advisory board.--
(A) Transfer of functions.--All functions of the
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology,
including the personnel, assets, and obligations of the
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology, as
in existence on the day before the date of enactment of
this Act, shall be transferred to the Institute.
(B) Deeming of name.--Any reference in any law,
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the
United States to the Manufacturing Extension
Partnership Advisory Board of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall be deemed a reference to
the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board
of the Institute.
(C) Unexpended balances.--Unexpended balances of
appropriations, authorization, allocations, or other
funds related to the Manufacturing Extension
Partnership Advisory Board of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall be available for use by
the Institute for purposes for which the
appropriations, authorizations, allocations, or other
funds were originally made available.
(D) Technical and conforming amendments.--Section
25(m) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(m)) is amended--
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking
``Institute'' and inserting ``National
Institute of Manufacturing'';
(ii) in paragraph (2)(A)(i), by inserting
``Manufacturing'' before ``Director'';
(iii) in paragraph (3)(B), in the matter
preceding clause (i), by inserting
``Manufacturing'' before ``Director''; and
(iv) in paragraph (5)(A), by striking
``Secretary'' and inserting ``Manufacturing
Director''.
(5) Office of manufacturing.--
(A) Transfer of functions.--All functions of the
Office of Manufacturing of the International Trade
Administration of the Department of Commerce, including
the personnel, assets, and obligations of the Office of
Manufacturing of the International Trade Administration
of the Department of Commerce, as in existence on the
day before the date of enactment of this Act, shall be
transferred to the Office of Manufacturer Trade
described in subsection (e)(5)(A).
(B) Deeming of name.--Any reference in any law,
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the
United States to the Office of Manufacturing of the
International Trade Administration of the Department of
Commerce shall be deemed a reference to the Office of
Manufacturer Trade of the Directorate on Trade of the
Institute.
(C) Unexpended balances.--Unexpended balances of
appropriations, authorization, allocations, or other
funds related to the Office of Manufacturing of the
International Trade Administration of the Department of
Commerce shall be available for use by the Office of
Manufacturer Trade of the Directorate on Trade of the
Institute for purposes for which the appropriations,
authorizations, allocations, or other funds were
originally made available.
(6) Materials processing equipment technical advisory
committee.--
(A) Transfer of functions.--All functions of the
Materials Processing Equipment Technical Advisory
Committee of the Bureau of Industry and Security of the
Department of Commerce, including the personnel,
assets, and obligations of the Materials Processing
Equipment Technical Advisory Committee of the Bureau of
Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce, as
in existence on the day before the date of enactment of
this Act, shall be transferred to the Institute.
(B) Deeming of name.--Any reference in any law,
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the
United States to the Materials Processing Equipment
Technical Advisory Committee of the Bureau of Industry
and Security of the Department of Commerce shall be
deemed a reference to the Materials Processing
Equipment Technical Advisory Committee of the
Institute.
(C) Unexpended balances.--Unexpended balances of
appropriations, authorization, allocations, or other
funds related to the Materials Processing Equipment
Technical Advisory Committee of the Bureau of Industry
and Security of the Department of Commerce shall be
available for use by the Institute for purposes for
which the appropriations, authorizations, allocations,
or other funds were originally made available.
(j) Transitional Provisions.--
(1) Transitional authorities.--
(A) Provision of assistance by officials.--Until
the date of the transfer of an entity to the Institute
or a component of the Institute under subsection (i),
any official having authority over the entity, or
functions relating to the entity, as of the day before
the date of enactment of this Act shall provide to the
Director such assistance, including the use of
personnel and assets, as the Director may request in
preparing for the transfer and integration of the
entity into the Institute or a component of the
Institute.
(B) Services and personnel.--During the 1-year
period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act,
upon the request of the Secretary, the head of any
executive agency may, on a reimbursable basis, provide
services or detail personnel to assist with the
transfer of an entity to the Institute or a component
of the Institute under subsection (i).
(2) Incidental transfers.--The Director of the Office of
Management and Budget, in consultation with the Director, shall
make such additional incidental dispositions of personnel,
assets, and liabilities held, used, arising from, available, or
to be made available, in connection with the functions
transferred under subsection (i), as the Director of the Office
of Management and Budget may determine necessary to accomplish
the purposes of this Act.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MANUFACTURING ADVISORY COUNCIL.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of
Commerce the ``National Manufacturing Advisory Council''.
(b) Mission.--The mission of the Council shall be to--
(1) ensure regular communication between the Federal
Government and the manufacturing sector in the United States;
(2) advise the Secretary on government policies and
government programs that affect United States manufacturing and
provide a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to
industry-related problems; and
(3) ensure that the United States remains the preeminent
destination for investment in manufacturing throughout the
world.
(c) Duties.--The duties of the Council shall include--
(1) meeting from time to time to provide independent advice
and recommendations to the Secretary regarding issues involving
United States manufacturing;
(2) completing specific tasks requested by the Director or
the Secretary;
(3) monitoring the status of technological developments,
critical production capacity, skill availability, investment
patterns, emerging defense needs, and other key indicators of
manufacturing competitiveness;
(4) soliciting input from the public and private sector and
academia regarding emerging trends in manufacturing, the
responsiveness of Federal programming, and suggestions for
areas of increased Federal attention;
(5) monitoring global manufacturing trends and global
threats to manufacturing sectors in the United States;
(6) providing input on providing Federal assistance for
manufacturers relating to--
(A) international trade and investment matters;
(B) research and technology development
opportunities;
(C) workforce development and training programs and
opportunities;
(D) small and medium manufacturer needs; and
(E) industrial commons and supply chains needs.
(d) Charter.--The Council shall develop a charter to govern the
structure and mission of the Council.
(e) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Council shall--
(A) consist of individuals with a balance of
backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints; and
(B) include individuals that directly represent
private industry, academia, and labor.
(2) Public participation.--The nomination process for
membership on the Council shall include a public nomination
process to the maximum extent practicable.
(f) Transfer of Functions.--
(1) Transfer of functions.--All functions of the
Manufacturing Council of the International Trade Administration
of the Department of Commerce, including the personnel, assets,
and obligations of the United States Manufacturing Council of
the International Trade Administration of the Department of
Commerce, as in existence on the day before the date of
enactment of this Act, shall be transferred to the Institute.
(2) Deeming of name.--Any reference in law, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
Manufacturing Council of the International Trade Administration
of the Department of Commerce shall be deemed a reference to
the National Manufacturing Advisory Council.
(3) Unexpended balances.--Unexpended balances of
appropriations, authorization, allocations, or other funds
related to the Manufacturing Council of the International Trade
Administration of the Department of Commerce shall be available
for use by the Director for which the appropriations,
authorizations, allocations, or other funds were originally
made available.
(g) Permanent Authority.--Notwithstanding section 14 of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), the Council shall be a
permanent authority.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Institute such sums
as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
<all>