[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3854 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3854

    To amend the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
relating to the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership to provide 
for enhanced representation on the Advisory Board, better assist United 
States-based small manufacturers and exporters, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 6, 2023

  Mr. Garamendi (for himself and Mr. Pocan) introduced the following 
   bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
                               Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act 
relating to the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership to provide 
for enhanced representation on the Advisory Board, better assist United 
States-based small manufacturers and exporters, 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 ``Manufacturing Partnership 
Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP ADVISORY BOARD; SMALL 
              MANUFACTURERS AND EXPORTERS.

    (a) In General.--Section 25 of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (m)(2)(A)(ii)--
                    (A) in subclause (II), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) in subclause (III), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subclause:
                                    ``(IV) at least 1 member shall 
                                represent 1 or more labor organizations 
                                (as such term is defined in section 2 
                                of the National Labor Relations Act (29 
                                U.S.C. 152))--
                                            ``(aa) that is a national 
                                        or international labor 
                                        organization subject to section 
                                        401(a) of the Labor-Management 
                                        Reporting and Disclosure Act of 
                                        1959 (29 U.S.C. 481(a)) with 
                                        members who are direct 
                                        production employees in 
                                        manufacturing establishments, 
                                        as determined by the Director; 
                                        or
                                            ``(bb) that participates in 
                                        1 or more training programs 
                                        registered under the Act of 
                                        August 16, 1937 (popularly 
                                        known as the `National 
                                        Apprenticeship Act'; 29 U.S.C. 
                                        50 et seq.), for a highly 
                                        skilled trade in manufacturing, 
                                        as determined by the 
                                        Director.''; and
            (2) in subsection (n)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(D) to the greatest extent practicable, establish 
                partnerships between each Center and the nearest--
                            ``(i) regional or district offices of the 
                        Small Business Administration to provide 
                        training and guidance with respect to the 
                        application process for loans guaranteed by the 
                        Small Business Administration;
                            ``(ii) regional or district offices of the 
                        Economic Development Administration of the 
                        Department of Commerce to provide guidance in 
                        accessing relevant Federal assistance for 
                        manufacturing;
                            ``(iii) regional offices of the Department 
                        of Labor to assist in workforce development for 
                        manufacturing; or
                            ``(iv) U.S. Export Assistance Center 
                        established by the United States and Foreign 
                        Commercial Service of the Department of 
                        Commerce pursuant to section 2301(b)(8) of the 
                        Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (enacted as part 
                        of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 
                        1988 (15 U.S.C. 4721(b)(8))).''.
    (b) Technical Amendments.--The National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Act is amended--
            (1) in section 25 (15 U.S.C. 278k)--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) by redesignating the second paragraph 
                        (7) (relating to the definition of the Hollings 
                        Manufacturing Extension Partnership or 
                        Program), and paragraphs (8) through (11), as 
                        paragraph (8), and paragraphs (9) through (12), 
                        respectively; and
                            (ii) in paragraph (8), as so redesignated, 
                        by striking ``established under subsection 
                        (n)'' and inserting ``established under 
                        subsection (m)'';
                    (B) in subsection (f)(2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
                        ``and'' after the semicolon; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (E), by striking the 
                        period and inserting a semicolon; and
                    (C) in subsection (m)(5)(B), by striking ``and 
                describe'' through ``section 23 (15 U.S.C. 278i)''; and
            (2) in section 34 (15 U.S.C. 278s)--
                    (A) in subsection (e)(2)(B)(iv)(I), by inserting 
                ``a'' before ``renewed''; and
                    (B) in subsection (j)(7)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (I), by inserting 
                        ``and'' after the semicolon;
                            (ii) in subparagraph (J)--
                                    (I) by inserting ``that are'' 
                                before ``additional programs''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``; and'' and 
                                inserting a period; and
                            (iii) by striking subparagraph (K).
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