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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1013-E1014]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMERICAN MANUFACTURING LEADERSHIP ACT
______
speech of
HON. TROY BALDERSON
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Mr. BALDERSON. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud original cosponsor of
Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Haley Stevens' bill,
the American Manufacturing Leadership Act because our nation's economy
relies on the manufacturing industry and must
[[Page E1014]]
prioritize policies that strengthen it. In my home state of Ohio, the
manufacturing industry accounts for 16.6 percent of total output, and
employs 12.5 percent of our workforce, or 690,200 employees. All told,
the manufacturing produced $107.95 billion worth of output in Ohio in
2017 and continues to grow each day.
H.R. 2397 would strengthen our nation's largest investment in
advanced manufacturing--the Manufacturing USA Program--which has
thrived in the past seven years since its creation and build on that
success to strengthen our manufacturing workforce. This bill would
reauthorize the successful Revitalize American Manufacturing and
Innovation of 2014 and extend it to all agencies sponsoring centers for
manufacturing innovation, allowing more of those that invest in
manufacturing to benefit from this program. It would further strengthen
the institutes' role in advanced manufacturing workforce development--
something I'm deeply passionate about--along with outreach to and
inclusion of small- and medium-sized businesses, which are vital to a
prosperous American economy.
H.R. 2397 also puts important checks, balances, and oversight into
place by encouraging the program office to develop pilot programs for
the institutes, as well as identify for and disseminate to them best
education and workforce training practices. It would also expand
Manufacturing USA's authorities to collaborate with other agencies,
including to develop network-wide performance goals. In addition, while
this bill would authorize agencies to renew institutes for an
additional period of funding, allowing those institutes to meet their
ultimate goals, this would only be allowed following a rigorous review
of the institute's progress toward meeting measurable goals.
The manufacturing industry is a pillar of the American economy and
drives many of the other industries that make up our country's annual
GDP. Without the manufacturing industry, the American economy would
cease to exist. H.R. 2397 would expand on manufacturing programs with
proven success and accelerate our nation's progress in advanced
manufacturing. Ultimately, this legislation leverages existing programs
across the federal government to help Manufacturing USA Institutes
achieve its goals. Finally, as an advocate for small business and
workforce development, I'm excited that this bill expands to include
more small- and medium-sized manufacturers, since they are the
lifeblood of our nation's economy.
Once again, I thank my colleague from Michigan for her leadership on
this legislation, and I urge the committee's support of H.R. 2397.
____________________
