The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“AMERICAN MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS ACT OF 2012” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H5830-H5835 on Sept. 11, 2012.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
AMERICAN MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS ACT OF 2012
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5865) to promote the growth and competitiveness of American manufacturing, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5865
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 ``American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2012''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS STRATEGY.
Not later than June 1, 2014, and June 1, 2018, the President shall submit to Congress, and publish on a public website, a strategy to promote growth, sustainability, and competitiveness in the Nation's manufacturing sector, create well-paid, stable jobs, enable innovation and investment, and support national security.
SEC. 3. MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS BOARD.
(a) In General.--On the first day of each of the two Presidential terms following the date of enactment of this Act, there is established within the Department of Commerce an American Manufacturing Competitiveness Board.
(b) Members.--Members of the Board shall be appointed as follows:
(1) Public sector members.--The President shall appoint to the Board--
(A) the Secretary of Commerce;
(B) Governors of two States, from different political parties, after consulting with the National Governors Association; and
(C) two other members who are current or former officials of the executive branch of government.
(2) Private sector members.--
(A) Criteria.--Ten individuals from the private sector shall be appointed to the Board in accordance with subparagraph (B) from among individuals with experience in the areas of--
(i) managing manufacturing companies, including businesses with fewer than 100 employees;
(ii) managing supply chain providers;
(iii) managing labor organizations;
(iv) workforce development;
(v) finance;
(vi) analyzing manufacturing policy and competitiveness;
(vii) conducting manufacturing-related research and development; and
(viii) the defense industrial base.
(B) Appointment.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the majority leader of the Senate shall each appoint 3 members to the Board. The minority leader of the House of Representatives and the minority leader of the Senate shall each appoint 2 members to the Board.
(c) Termination.--The Board shall terminate 60 days after submitting its final report pursuant to section 4(c)(3).
(d) Co-chairmen.--The co-chairmen of the Board shall be the Secretary of Commerce (or the designee of the Secretary) and a member elected by the private sector members of the Board appointed pursuant to subsection (b)(2).
(e) Subgroups.--The Board may convene subgroups to address particular industries, policy topics, or other matters and to take advantage of the expertise of other individuals and entities in matters to be addressed by the Board. Such subgroups may include members representing any of the following:
(1) Other Federal agencies, as the co-chairmen determine appropriate.
(2) State, tribal, and local governments.
(3) The private sector.
(f) Quorum.--Ten members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business but a lesser number may hold hearings with the agreement of the co-chairmen.
(g) Meetings and Hearings.--
(1) Timing and frequency of meetings.--The Board shall meet at the call of the co-chairmen, and not fewer than 2 times.
(2) Public hearings required.--The Board shall convene public hearings to solicit views on the Nation's manufacturing sector and recommendations for the national manufacturing competitiveness strategy.
(3) Locations of public hearings.--The locations of public hearings convened under paragraph (2) shall ensure the inclusion of multiple regions and industries of the manufacturing sector.
(h) Application of Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), other than section 14 of such Act, shall apply to the Board, including any subgroups established pursuant to subsection (e).
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE BOARD.
(a) In General.--The Board shall--
(1) advise the President on issues affecting the Nation's manufacturing sector;
(2) conduct a comprehensive analysis in accordance with subsection (b); and
(3) develop a national manufacturing competitiveness strategy in accordance with subsection (c).
(b) Comprehensive Analysis.--In developing a national manufacturing competitiveness strategy under subsection (c), the Board shall conduct a comprehensive analysis of the Nation's manufacturing sector, taking into consideration analyses, data, and other information previously compiled, as well as relevant reports, plans, or recommendations issued by Federal agencies, Federal advisory boards, and the private sector. Such analysis shall, to the extent feasible, address--
(1) the value and role of manufacturing in the Nation's economy, security, and global leadership;
(2) the current domestic and international environment for the Nation's manufacturing sector, and any subsector identified by the Board as warranting special study for competitiveness or for comparison purposes;
(3) Federal, State, tribal, and local policies, programs, and conditions that affect manufacturing;
(4) a summary of the manufacturing policies and strategies of the Nation's 10 largest trading partners, to the extent known;
(5) new, emerging, or evolving markets, technologies, and products for which the Nation's manufacturers could compete;
(6) the identification of redundant or ineffective government programs related to manufacturing, as well as any programs that have improved manufacturing competitiveness;
(7) the short- and long-term forecasts for the Nation's manufacturing sector, and forecasts of expected national and international trends and factors likely to affect such sector in the future;
(8) the manner in which Federal agencies share information and views with respect to the effects of proposed or active regulations or other executive actions on the Nation's manufacturing sector and its workforce;
(9) the recommendations of the Department of Commerce Manufacturing Council, whether such recommendations have been implemented, and the effect of such recommendations; and
(10) any other matters affecting the growth, stability, and sustainability of the Nation's manufacturing sector or the competitiveness of the Nation's manufacturing environment, particularly relative to that of other nations, including--
(A) workforce skills, gaps, and development;
(B) productivity and the extent to which national economic statistics related to manufacturing accurately measure manufacturing output and productivity growth;
(C) trade policy and balance;
(D) energy policy, forecasts, and developments;
(E) expenditures on basic and applied research related to manufacturing technology;
(F) programs to help small and mid-sized manufacturers become more competitive;
(G) the impact of Federal statutes and regulations;
(H) the impact of domestic and international monetary policy;
(I) the impact of taxation;
(J) financing and investment, including challenges associated with commercialization and scaling up of production;
(K) research and development;
(L) job creation and employment disparities;
(M) levels of domestic production;
(N) adequacy of the industrial base for maintaining national security;
(O) protections for intellectual property and the related policies, procedures, and law on technology transfer; and
(P) customs enforcement and counterfeiting.
(c) National Manufacturing Competitiveness Strategy.--
(1) Development.--The Board shall develop a national manufacturing competitiveness strategy, based on--
(A) the results of the comprehensive analysis conducted under subsection (b); and
(B) any other information, studies, or perspectives that the Board determines to be appropriate.
(2) Goals and recommendations.--
(A) Goals.--The Board shall include in the national manufacturing competitiveness strategy short- and long-term goals for improving the competitiveness conditions of the Nation's manufacturing environment, taking into account the matters addressed in the comprehensive analysis conducted under subsection (b).
(B) Recommendations.--The Board shall include in the national manufacturing competitiveness strategy recommendations for achieving the goals provided under subparagraph (A). Such recommendations may propose--
(i) actions to improve manufacturing competitiveness to be taken by the President, Congress, State and local governments, and the private sector;
(ii) actions to improve government policies and coordination among entities developing such policies;
(iii) the consolidation or elimination of government programs;
(iv) actions to improve government interaction with the manufacturing sector and communication regarding the effects of proposed or active government regulations or other executive actions on the manufacturing sector and its workforce;
(v) the reform or elimination of regulations that place the United States manufacturing sector at a disadvantage relative to other nations; and
(vi) actions to reduce business uncertainty, including, where appropriate, finalization of regulations applicable to manufacturers.
(3) Report.--
(A) Draft.--Not later than 150 days before the date on which the President is required to submit to Congress a report containing a national manufacturing competitiveness strategy under section 2, the Board shall publish in the Federal Register and on a public website a draft report containing a national manufacturing competitiveness strategy. At the same time, the Board shall make available to the public the comprehensive analysis required by subsection (b) and any underlying data or materials necessary to an understanding of the conclusions reached.
(B) Public comment; review and revision.--A draft report published under subparagraph (A) shall remain available for public comment for a period of not less than 30 days from the date of publication. The Board shall review any comments received regarding such draft report and may revise the draft report based upon those comments.
(C) Publication.--Not later than 60 days before the date on which the President is required to submit to Congress a report containing a national manufacturing competitiveness strategy under section 2, the Board shall submit to the President for review and revision a final report containing a national manufacturing competitiveness strategy, and shall publish such final report on a public website.
(D) Contents of report.--The final report submitted under subparagraph (C) shall, to the extent feasible, include--
(i) an estimate of the short- and long-term Federal Government outlays and revenue changes necessary to implement the national manufacturing competitiveness strategy and an estimate of savings that may be derived from implementation of the national manufacturing competitiveness strategy;
(ii) a detailed explanation of the methods and analysis used to determine the estimates included under clause (i);
(iii) recommendations regarding how to pay for the cost of implementation estimated under clause (i); and
(iv) a plan for how the recommendations included in the report will be implemented and who is or should be responsible for the implementation.
(d) Consultation; Nonduplication of Efforts.--The Board shall consult with and not duplicate the efforts of the Defense Science Board, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, the Manufacturing Council established by the Department of Commerce, the Economic Security Commission, the Labor Advisory Committee for Trade Negotiations and Trade Policy, and other relevant governmental entities conducting any activities related to manufacturing.
SEC. 5. REQUIREMENT TO CONSIDER NATIONAL MANUFACTURING
COMPETITIVENESS STRATEGY IN BUDGET.
In preparing the budget for each of the fiscal years from fiscal year 2016 through fiscal year 2022 under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, the President shall include information regarding the consistency of the budget with the goals and recommendations included in the national manufacturing competitiveness strategy.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means--
(A) during the first Presidential term that begins after the date of enactment of this Act, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Board established by section 3(a) on the first day of such term; and
(B) during the second Presidential term that begins after the date of enactment of this Act, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Board established by section 3(a) on the first day of such term.
(2) Private sector.--The term ``private sector'' includes labor, industry, industry associations, academia, universities, trade associations, nonprofit organizations, and other appropriate nongovernmental groups.
(3) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono Mack) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on H.R. 5865.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5865, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act.
Throughout our Nation's long history, a growing and robust manufacturing sector has helped to make America great. It's been a driving force in our economy since the Industrial Revolution.
But as our Nation has moved from the atomic age to the space age, the information age, manufacturing has not kept up, losing nearly 6 million American jobs since the beginning of the 21st century. Aging, rusting, and abandoned factories litter the U.S. landscape.
Statistics show the manufacturing sector was the hardest hit in terms of job losses during the Great Recession. While manufacturing accounts for just one-tenth of our Nation's jobs, manufacturing has suffered a third of our Nation's job losses.
We have a chance now to reverse this trend, and I applaud the hard work of Mr. Lipinski and Mr. Kinzinger in developing a bipartisan plan for improving manufacturing in the U.S.
I would also like to thank Chairman Upton, Ranking Member Waxman, and subcommittee Ranking Member Butterfield for their hard work in bringing this important bill to the floor for a vote.
The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act calls for two Presidential reports to Congress outlining the strategy for promoting growth, sustainability, and competitiveness in the manufacturing sector. The reports are due in April of 2014 and again in 2018.
Now, why is this so important? Well, for one thing, manufacturing has the highest job multiplier of any industry in our economy, producing
$1.35 for every $1 in direct spending. Just as importantly, manufacturing is responsible for two-thirds of all private R&D spending in the U.S., and it drives technology innovation. But on the flip side, for every manufacturing job lost in America, another 2.3 jobs are also lost throughout our economy.
Here's the bottom line: If America is going to continue to lead the world in innovation, we must foster a more conducive environment for manufacturing.
H.R. 5865 establishes a manufacturing competitiveness board made up of 15 members. Five public sector members are appointed by the President, and the remaining 10 private sector members are appointed by House and Senate leaders. That gives both the executive branch and the legislative branch a shared role as well as a shared stake in making sure that this process is ultimately successful.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5865 is a sound, bipartisan approach to improving manufacturing in America, and I strongly urge its passage.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5865, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2012.
The lead bipartisan cosponsors of this bill are two gentlemen from Illinois, Congressman Daniel Lipinski and my colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman Adam Kinzinger. I want to thank both of them for their work on this bill and, in particular, for working with me and Chairwoman Bono Mack to move this bill in a form that both sides can support.
H.R. 5865 aims to build upon the recent growth of the U.S. manufacturing sector with the end goal being the return of more and more individuals to stable and good-paying jobs.
Specifically, Mr. Speaker, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act requires the President to prepare and submit to Congress in 2014 and 2018 a national manufacturing strategy with assistance from the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Board established by the bill.
The board will be comprised of the Secretary of Commerce, State Governors, and officials from the executive branch, in addition to 10 individuals from the private sector appointed by the majority and minority leadership of the House and the Senate.
There is no more important issue to Americans than the ability to get and keep a job, provide for their families, and ensure that when their children grow up they too can succeed. This is the promise of the American Dream, and it's a promise that, despite the slow climb out of the deep recession caused by the reckless bets in Wall Street, that I and most Americans still believe in. Moreover, it's a promise that we here in Congress have been entrusted by our constituents to work towards by promoting initiatives and enacting policies that will lead to the creation of new jobs to replace and supplement those that have been lost.
This is something that the Obama administration has taken very seriously, and the administration has rightfully made growing the manufacturing sector a key element to getting Americans back to work. This has also been a priority of the House Democratic leadership through its Make It In America policy initiatives.
And we are seeing results, Mr. Speaker, we are seeing results. Over the past 2 years, the manufacturing sector has added more than 450,000 jobs.
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That is worth repeating. Over the past 2 years, the manufacturing sector has added more than 450,000 jobs. Not since the Clinton administration has this sector seen such fast growth.
In my own State of North Carolina, we know all too well about the loss of manufacturing jobs, but those jobs have begun to return. And we are feeling it and we are seeing it. North Carolina is the fifth largest manufacturing State in the country and the largest in the Southeast. Our manufacturing sector provides about $80 billion to our GDP--roughly 20 percent of the total. The nearly 11,000 manufacturing companies in North Carolina employ almost 15 percent of the total workforce, and well over half a million of these jobs pay more than
$65,000 annually.
American manufacturing is primed for a renaissance. The House Democrats' Make It in America agenda provides even greater opportunities for success. Several of these initiatives have already become law, including bills that cut taxes and create loans for small businesses, speed up the patent process, and lower the cost of raw materials and help to end tax loopholes so that companies are discouraged from shipping jobs overseas.
Mr. Speaker, in the 111th Congress, House Democrats led efforts to support American clean-energy firms, invest in job-training partnerships, and hold China accountable for unfair currency manipulation that cost us in America very precious jobs. When more products are made in America, more families can make it in America. The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act promises to build on and complement the Obama administration's efforts and our efforts to grow manufacturing in the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I support this bill. I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for their cooperation with bringing this to the floor and getting it for a vote today. I thank not only the chair and the ranking member of the full committee, but the chair of our subcommittee, who works with us on so many of these important issues.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the coauthor of the legislation, a very hardworking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger).
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I would like to thank Chairman Bono Mack for the time and her work in getting this bill to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act. It's an honor to stand here with my colleague from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) in support of this forward-thinking, bipartisan legislation, especially at a time when Americans feel like Republicans and Democrats are unable to work together.
Mr. Speaker, the world is becoming more competitive, as evidenced by the recent report from the World Economic Forum announcing that the U.S. has fallen from first to seventh in global competitiveness. And I tell you what actually really gets to me is the fact that I feel like many Americans are starting to accept the fact that we are just going to lose our competitive edge and we're going to lose our manufacturing power base to a country like China. And I don't think that's something that we have to accept.
We've heard from the manufacturing base in this country. They need a simpler Tax Code. They need an education system that prepares students in math and science, trade policies that are open and fair, and regulations that protect the health and welfare of our citizens with the lowest cost on business. The purpose of this legislation is to build on the consensus and ensure government policies promote a competitive environment for manufacturers in the decades to come.
Mr. Speaker, we are the biggest economy in the world because of our manufacturing resources. We produce 21 percent of global manufactured goods, with an estimated 18.6 million jobs. Manufacturing jobs are some of the highest paying in our economy, with the average job making upwards of $77,000 annually. With the right policies in place, we can usher in a manufacturing renaissance in this legislation, and this legislation will help ensure our global competitiveness for decades to come.
Mr. Speaker, in Illinois alone, over 600,000 people are employed in manufacturing. This is an industry that's vital to the health of our economy and our national security. This Nation is blessed to have some of the hardest working and most innovative people in the world. When I go home to Illinois and I speak directly to a small or large manufacturer, they're ready to compete on the global stage, and they're ready to compete with China. They only need government to ensure that they are playing on a level playing field. That means fair trade, a simple tax policy, educated students, and the least burdensome regulations possible.
This legislation will bring together private sector and government leaders to create a manufacturing strategy that both Congress and the President can implement. It's time to get politics out of supporting the middle class. The American people are tired of stalemates. They're ready for action. They're ready for both parties to focus their energy on the people who elected them. Now is the time to act before this window of opportunity for a manufacturing renaissance passes us by. I'm proud of this legislation. I think it's a strong first step in finding solutions to help our Nation's economy. And I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), who is also the minority whip of the House Democratic Caucus and is a great friend of the manufacturing sector.
Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to congratulate Dan Lipinski for authoring this legislation. It is one of the key pieces of our Make It in America agenda, which my distinguished friend from North Carolina has discussed. I also want to thank my dear and good friend, Mary Bono Mack, for her leadership on this effort.
As the gentleman said, and I can adopt the remarks of the previous speaker, Mr. Kinzinger, we do need a manufacturing policy. We do need a manufacturing renaissance. And we do need a psychology that America is going to be number one and stay number one and create the kind of good-
paying jobs for our people that manufacturing provides.
Andrew Liveris, who's the chief CEO of Dow Chemical, wrote a book. The name of that book is ``Make It in America.'' Manufacture it in America. Grow it in America. Sell it here and sell it around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Mr. Lipinski's bill, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act. This passed out of committee unanimously 4 months ago. This bill is a key part of House Democrats' Make It in America plan to strengthen American manufacturing. But it's not a Democratic plan. It's not a Republican plan. It's an American plan. All of us can resoundingly support this and take ownership of a renaissance in manufacturing.
For the past 2 years, our manufacturing sector was a bright spot in our economic recovery, seeing the first increase in manufacturing jobs since the nineties. But for the last 3 months that sector has begun to contract a little bit, a symptom of Congress' failure, in my opinion, to take serious action on legislation like Make It in America. And, yes, taxes and regulations. The gentleman was correct. That's why we need the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act. This bill will bring the public and private sectors together with labor and other stakeholders to craft plans to develop comprehensive national manufacturing strategies in 2014 and 2018.
Ladies and gentlemen, none of you doubt that our competitors across this globe are doing this. We are late to this ball game. But the good news is we are the most able, productive economy in the world, and we can compete with anybody. All we need is a good plan. Other nations around the globe have strategies to increase the manufacturing to keep America competitive. It is imperative that we have a plan as well. Not to pick winners and losers, but to create the environment of which the gentleman spoke just before me about an environment that allows manufacturing to grow.
I want to thank, again, the ranking member for his very compelling statement that he made. The Obama administration focused on revitalizing the manufacturing sector, and Representative Lipinski's bill ensures that the U.S. Government will continue to pursue policies that bolster manufacturing and add jobs. I want to commend Representative Lipinski for his leadership on this issue, as well as Ranking Member Waxman, Ranking Member Butterfield, whom I've already referenced, and other Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
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But I also want to commend those Republican leaders on the Commerce Committee, and Mr. Manzullo, who is sitting here, my dear friend, who heads up the Small Business Committee, is focused on growing jobs in America. I also want to thank Chairman Upton and I have already thanked Chairman Bono Mack, but she is my good friend so I'll thank her again, for their work to make sure this bill came to the floor with bipartisan support.
Mr. Speaker, the Energy and Commerce Committee reported this bill in June with a bipartisan vote. I am sure it will receive a bipartisan vote tonight.
I will tell you there is no place in America you can go--not the most conservative district, not the most liberal district, not the most Republican district or the most Democratic district. And you could talk about make it in America, and you'll get heads nodding in agreement.
This is not an issue of philosophy. It's a pragmatic issue of growing our economy, creating the kinds of jobs that our people need, jobs that pay well, give them good benefits, and a bright future for them, their families, and their children.
So I commend both the Republican and Democratic side for bringing this piece of legislation to the floor and urge its unanimous adoption by this Congress.
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo).
Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, as the co-founder and co-chair of the House Manufacturing Caucus, I cannot overstate the importance of manufacturing in America and the need for this important legislation.
The U.S. is still the largest manufacturer in the world, churning out about $1.7 trillion in value annually, and one in six jobs is tied directly or indirectly to manufacturing.
Manufacturing drives innovation by conducting two-thirds of all research and development and creating the bulk of technology in our Nation and nearly 70 percent of all exported goods from the United States in 2011 originated from the manufacturing sector.
In the U.S., every one dollar in final sales in manufacturing goods supports $1.35 in output from other sectors of the economy. That multiplier effect is higher than any other economic sector. Many other jobs, such as those in financial services, depend on somebody else making a product. If no one makes anything in America anymore, than those service sector jobs disappear also.
I spend about two-thirds of my time in Congress studying and working on manufacturing issues, from raw materials and minerals all the way through export controls. In fact, earlier today, I co-hosted a bipartisan briefing with administrative officials on its export control reform initiative.
I have been in over 500 factories all over the world in China, Japan, Europe, and the United States. I've studied manufacturing schooling and the educational process in Switzerland and how important manufacturing is to that tiny country.
Every few years the manufacturing sector in the United States experiences a crisis. In response, various administrations have prepared strategy reports on how to best respond. The last report was issued in 2004. This report was extremely helpful in identifying and reforming regulations that were unduly burdensome on the manufacturing sector that produced little or no public benefit.
The bill before us today will institutionalize this process by requiring a national manufacturing report so that we can keep the focus of our government on how to best help the strongest economic engine of our economy.
My office spent years developing a chart to identify the numerous Federal programs and agencies that support manufacturing. It is still difficult to have a central focal point to know who is manufacturing and who is doing research in a particular area. For example, if somebody wants to do research on machining titanium, there is no central portal through which that person can go to determine exactly what programs there are and who is doing the research. Fundamentally, it's very important to have this report. Why? Because Americans need to know the importance of manufacturing.
If we don't have manufacturing, agriculture, and mining in this country, we become a Third World nation. If we can't make things with our hands, then we become hindered in maintaining our status as a world leader.
I would call upon the House to vote affirmatively for this great bill, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2012, H.R. 5865.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 6 minutes to the author of this bill, Mr. Lipinski from the great State of Illinois, who has worked very hard on this bill not only in this Congress but in the previous bill as well.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Thank you, Ranking Member Butterfield, for yielding and for your support on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5865, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act, a bipartisan bill that I introduced to boost American manufacturing.
This bill represents what the American people want us to be doing, working together in a bipartisan manner to advance policies that promote the creation of good-paying jobs for middle class Americans.
I want to thank Representative Kinzinger for being willing to work with me across the aisle to bring this bill to the floor. I also want to thank Chairwoman Bono Mack as well as Representative Pompeo for their work on this bill. Mr. Manzullo was just on the floor. I want to thank him for the work he's done to advance manufacturing, the work we've done together in the 8 years that I've been in the Congress with him.
In addition, I want to thank Democratic Whip Hoyer for his steadfast advocacy of Make It in America policies.
Manufacturing is a linchpin of our Nation's economy. It provides the American middle class with a source of quality jobs making everything from the goods we rely on for everyday needs, to the equipment that we need for national security.
But in the first decade of the century, American manufacturing took a hard hit. Almost one-third of American manufacturing jobs disappeared. After 110 years as the world's top manufacturing Nation, America got knocked off its perch by China.
I have seen the devastation in my district and across northeastern Illinois. And I get frustrated, just like countless other Americans do, when I go to the store and I cannot find the words ``made in the U.S.A.'' on any product.
Some say this is inevitable but it does not have to be. While we have been seeing signs of a resurgent American manufacturing sector, with jobs increasing by nearly half a million in the past few years, we still have a long way to go.
America relies on the entrepreneurial spirit of private enterprise. There is no doubt there would be no American manufacturing base without the innovators and the risk takers. The great growth in American manufacturing in the 20th century would have been impossible without the hard work of the middle class.
But it is also clear that the government interacts with and affects manufacturing in countless ways. From tax and trade, to regulation, to research, education, and workforce development, government policies have a significant effect on our manufacturers.
That is why we need a comprehensive, coordinated strategy promoting American manufacturing. While many other countries--China, India, Germany, to name a few--have developed manufacturing strategies, the United States manufacturing policy is uncoordinated and largely ad hoc. If we want American manufacturing to compete and succeed in a global economy, it is vital that we develop a strategy to coordinate our policies that impact manufacturers. And that is exactly what this bill does.
Based on the Quadrennial Defense Review, the Pentagon's policy planning process, this bill proposes that every 4 years we convene a group of manufacturing experts from the private and the public sectors. This group, assembled from appointments made by congressional leaders and the President, will analyze domestic and global economics and propose recommendations to Congress, the President, States, and industry, to pursue to make all the types of American manufacturing more competitive.
At the end of the day, this bill is about setting aside politics and implementing policies that will create an environment conducive to the flourishing of American manufacturing, which is vital for middle class American jobs and is vital for our national security.
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If we continue to muddle through without a coordinated plan, government will still be impacting manufacturing, but in an uncoordinated, often inefficient, and sometimes wasteful manner.
After a couple of tough decades, I still have a number of small and medium-size manufacturers in my district in northeastern Illinois. One of these is Atlas Tool & Die of Lyons, Illinois, a 94-year-old family-
owned business. The director of development for the company, Zach Mottl, said this about H.R. 5865:
As a business owner, I know planning is critical. When an organization doesn't operate with a plan, what occurs is a plan to fail. Right now, the United States is operating without a manufacturing strategy in a world where other countries are intensely focused on helping their manufacturers to compete. The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act will bring all sides and stakeholders together to forge a strategy with broad support and the momentum needed to produce action.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to come together today and help start forging this strategy by passing H.R. 5865, and we can all look forward to proudly seeing the ``Made in the USA'' label on more shelves and in more showrooms.
Mrs. BONO MACK. I reserve the balance of my time at this point. I have no further speakers.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. I have no additional speakers, Mr. Speaker; therefore, I will ask my colleagues to join with us in passing this good legislation.
With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I just want to begin by thanking Mr. Lipinski for crossing the center aisle and coming to our side to offer his legislation and to work with us early on in the year, to stress to us how important it was for him. And I thank him for his willingness to work with us to make sure we could move this bill.
In closing, I just want to make one very important point, that this is not a top-down, government-knows-best approach to the problems facing manufacturing today. Instead, we're creating a public-private partnership that will help to develop a comprehensive, modern strategy--identifying impediments to manufacturing and providing much needed recommendations on how to create an environment that will once again allow American manufacturers to thrive.
While our goal is to produce an important economic blueprint for the future of America, these recommendations are not binding on Congress. H.R. 5865 will expand upon previous studies and reports on manufacturing by requiring a comprehensive analysis of factors affecting manufacturing. Those would include: the identification of redundant or ineffective government programs related to manufacturing; trade policy; energy policy; taxation; and the impact of Federal regulations on manufacturing and job creation.
This legislation appropriately gives the Manufacturing Board the flexibility it needs to do its job efficiently and expeditiously. The Board is not required to reinvent the wheel and restudy every single subject already examined by other government agencies and nongovernmental bodies, but the Board is specifically directed to consult with other Federal entities to avoid duplication of efforts. In the end, the Board will develop and publish for public comment a draft manufacturing strategy based on its analysis and any other information the Board determines is appropriate. This strategy will include both short-term and long-term goals for improving competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing, as well as recommendations for action.
Mr. Speaker, considering the importance of manufacturing in the American economy and to the future of our Nation, I strongly urge the adoption of H.R. 5865, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Long). The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono Mack) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5865, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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