WASHINGTON – President Obama on Wednesday announced an innovative public-private partnership between the federal government, 18 companies and six universities to strengthen America’s manufacturing sector and create high quality jobs. U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), who leads the Senate’s Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative, applauded the announcement.
“Washington cannot afford to give up on American workers and should be doing everything it can to help businesses create good jobs,” Senator Coons said. “Manufacturing jobs are good jobs — they pay more, offer more in benefits, and have a greater economic impact on their communities than new jobs in other sectors. In launching this new manufacturing innovation institute, President Obama is creatively addressing one of our nation’s greatest long-term economic challenges: getting our academic, commercial, and governmental leaders working in the same direction. I congratulate the President and North Carolina State University on this announcement, and hope that the Senate moves forward on the legislation Senators Brown and Blunt introduced to fully realize the potential of this idea.”
Since its debut in October, Manufacturing Jobs for America has grown to include 44 bills from 26 senators. Thirty of the bills have already been introduced — many with bipartisan support — around four principles: strengthening America’s 21st century workforce; opening markets abroad; creating the conditions necessary for growth; and expanding access to capital.
More on Manufacturing Jobs for America can be found online here: http://coons.senate.gov/manufacturing
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