The U.S. Department of Commerce needs Congress' continued support to keep building momentum, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said during a recent budget hearing.
Raimondo referred to the progress her department is making before the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies April 18 during the fiscal 2024 budget hearing, according to a release of her remarks.
"The Commerce Department is hard at work," Raimondo said in the release. "Thanks to major investments like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the CHIPS and Science Act, and your support through the appropriations process, the Commerce Department is making substantial progress on some of our nation’s most pressing economic and national security priorities, including those related to our supply chains, manufacturing, innovation and workforce."
The progress comes despite "fierce" competition worldwide "and we can't take our foot off the gas," Raimondo said, according to the release.
"I'm here today to ask you to build on those investments in fiscal year 2024 so we can keep the momentum going and continue to deliver on behalf of the American people," Raimondo said in her remarks. "I am grateful for your support as we look forward to accomplishing even more in FY 2024."
In its fiscal 2024 budget, President Joe Biden is asking for $12.3 billion in discretionary funding and $4 billion in mandatory funding for the Commerce Department, to "enable the department to continue fulfilling its mission to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities," Raimondo said in the release.
Raimondo referred to innovation, manufacturing and supply chains as the first of "seven key areas of investment within the Department of Commerce," according to her remarks.
"Without manufacturing strength in the United States, and the innovation that flows from it, we are at a clear disadvantage in the race to invent and commercialize future generations of technology," she said in her remarks. "The FY 2024 budget invests in programs that enable resilient supply chains to ensure our economic prosperity and national security. The budget calls for $1.6 billion to support the work of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, including $277 million for the Manufacturing Extension Program, or MEP."
In her closing remarks, Raimondo also referred to Commerce's wide-ranging mission, the release reported.
"While the Commerce Department is a diverse agency that covers everything from patents to the weather, the common thread among the investments I have just outlined is that they are all vital to fulfilling our mission of creating the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities," she said in the release.
"With these smart, targeted investments, we will bolster our economic and national security, make our supply chains more resilient, promote American manufacturing and innovation and help more workers and businesses compete and win in the 21st century global economy," Raimondo added, according to the release. "Thank you for inviting me to appear today. I look forward to working with you, and I am happy to answer your questions."