1. LATEST POLICY
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Manufacturing Jobs for America – A Plan for Jobs and Growth
Americans have come a long way from the depths of the Great Recession. Our businesses have created 12.1 million jobs over the past 61 months – the longest sustained stretch of job creation in our nation’s history – and a key driver of that economic recovery has been a sector that helped build this country’s middle class – manufacturing. Still, while American manufacturing is newly resurgent, there’s much more we can do to build on its momentum. That’s why last Congress we started a campaign called Manufacturing Jobs for America (MJA) to focus on four key issues: investing in America’s workforce, expanding access to capital, opening up markets abroad for American goods, and crafting a national manufacturing strategy. As a country, we need to invest in American manufacturing and in American workers, and Manufacturing Jobs for America is our best chance to do that in Congress.
More: Op-Ed in Republic 3.0, Baldwin Release
Donnelly Joins Bipartisan Effort to Introduce Reauthorization of Ex-Im Bank
U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly, who serves on the Senate Banking Committee, joined colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation that would reform and reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. Donnelly — along with U.S. Senators Mark Kirk (R-IL), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), and Mark Warner (D-VA)— introduced legislation late Thursday that would reauthorize the Bank’s charter until September 30, 2019 and implement several reforms.
More: Donnelly Release
Murphy Introduces Bill to Incentivize Investment in Startup Businesses
U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) joined Congressmen Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) and Patrick Murphy (D-Fl.) to announce the introduction of the Angel Tax Credit Act, a bill that would provide investors with further incentive to invest significant capital in startup businesses.
More: Murphy Release
Baldwin, Kaine and Portman Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Career Readiness in Schools
U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH), co-chairs of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, introduced the Career Ready Act of 2015, legislation that would help ensure students are college and career-ready by strengthening school counseling programs and encouraging states to keep track of career readiness factors implemented in school districts.
More: Baldwin Release
2. OTHER NEWS
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Coons Knows Manufacturing Push Needs GOP Support
Sen. Chris Coons has started a matchmaking service. No, not a dating app. The Delaware Democrat is working with Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., to spearhead an effort to bring together Republican and Democratic senators interested in manufacturing jobs — and he’s even discussed the subject in a one-on-one meeting with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
More: Roll Call Article
New MIT Report Details Benefits of Investment in Basic Research
MIT released a report in which faculty and other researchers detail specific impacts, within their fields, of declining federal investment in basic research. The report — “The Future Postponed: Why Declining Investment in Basic Research Threatens a U.S. Innovation Deficit” — was prepared by a committee of MIT researchers and research administrators. Examining how funding cutbacks will affect the future of scientific studies in the U.S., the report highlights opportunities in basic research that could help shape and maintain U.S. economic power, and benefit society.
More: MIT Release
MEP Competition Aims to Strengthen Small Manufacturing
Nonprofit organizations can now compete for $320 million in public and private funding to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers in 12 key states. It’s all part of a national effort to expand technology, innovation, and workforce development services to small manufacturers and bring new American-made products to market.
More: American Alliance for Manufacturing Release
NIST and NSF Partner to Launch Industry-University Consortium to Provide Input on National Advanced Manufacturing Research and Development Priorities
The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced today that they will establish a consortium to provide private?sector input on national advanced manufacturing research and development priorities. NSF has released a solicitation, calling for applications from organizations to administer the consortium through a cooperative agreement.
More: NIST Release
GM to Spend $5.4 Billion in US Factory Makeovers
General Motors announced $5.4 billion in new U.S. plant upgrades over the next three years, including in three sites in Michigan, the traditional hub of the U.S. auto industry. The biggest investment outlined is $520 million for a site near Lansing to build tools and equipment for GM’s future vehicle programs. The move will retain 1,900 jobs at the site, the company’s newest plant in North America, the automaker said.
More: IndustryWeek Release
Obama Administration Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Rules to Implement the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), signed by President Obama on July 22, 2014, is the first major reform to federal job training programs in more than 15 years. WIOA is designed to improve the coordination of employment and training services across federal agencies, strengthen collaboration with state and local partners, and provide Americans with increased access to training, education and other support to succeed in the job market and in their careers. Today, the departments of Labor and Education announced five Notices of Proposed Rulemaking to implement WIOA and seek public comment.
More: Department of Labor Release
Steel Industry CEOs Warn of a Possible Sectoral Collapse Due to Surging Imports
CEOs from the country’s largest and most important steel companies along with an executive from the nation’s top industrial union were on Capitol Hill on March 26 and used the opportunity to raise alarms about surging steel imports. The situation, they told the Steel Caucus in a unified voice, is far worse than anything they have seen in a generation, as foreign nations, awash in 638 million tons of excess capacity, dump subsidized steel into the United States, the world’s most open market.
More: Manufacturing and Technology News