U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and several Democratic politicians convened in Detroit last week to discuss ways to strengthen the supply chain, empower minority-owned businesses and promote the Bipartisan Innovation Act (BIA), the DOC reports.
Graves was joined by Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, Congresswomen Brenda Lawrence and Rashida Tlaib, Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and Detroit Mayor Mike Dugan for a Supply Chain Summit in Detroit May 9, the DOC reports. The summit focused on "bringing innovation, resilience, and supplier diversity into focus," according to the announcement.
The officials met with public and private sector stakeholders to brainstorm on ways to connect minority-owned businesses with federal resources for funding, procurement and contracting, to build supply-chain resilience, the DOC reports.
“It’s no secret that this pain at the pump, grocery store, and on Main Street is hitting minority and low-income communities the hardest,” Graves said at the summit, according to the DOC report. “But we also have options that will reduce costs, create jobs and rebuild our supply chains by engaging America’s greatest competitive advantage — our diversity.”
Graves promoted passage of the BIA, which includes $52 billion for the domestic semiconductor industry, as "essential to America’s economic growth and to Michigan’s vibrant manufacturing sectors," the DOC reports.
"By passing the Bipartisan Innovation Act and making full use of the many tools already at our disposal," Graves said at the summit, "we can create good-paying jobs and workforce development opportunities for people of color, all while creating a vibrant manufacturing ecosystem where minority-owned businesses can thrive."
Sen. Stabenow said the U.S. is at "a critical moment in this competition to secure our leadership in the next generation of manufacturing," according to the DOC report. Stabenow said the U.S. has been outpaced by other countries in funding new technologies.
"That's why I have been leading efforts to create long-term solutions to our semiconductor shortage," Sen. Stabenow said at the summit, "to make things here in America, to support our minority-owned businesses, and to create good-paying jobs here at home. Michigan’s strength is our diversity. Our workers are the best in the world, and there’s nothing more American than ensuring that our products and technology are built here in America.”
