WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) today introduced the Global Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing Act, which will promote expansion of the national network of Manufacturing USA institutes and strengthen American manufacturing. 

The Manufacturing USA program is a national network of 14 public-private partnership institutes with 1,300-member companies and institutions working to keep the U.S. on the cutting edge of advanced manufacturing. The institutes have generated $2 billion in industry-matched funding to transition innovative technologies from lab to market and to expand the production of goods made in America.  

The successful Manufacturing USA program is being copied by China, with the “Made in China 2025” plan directly replicating the U.S. institutes. China is making enormous investments in its manufacturing capabilities and has committed to establishing 40 Manufacturing USA-like institutes by 2025. This bill continues U.S. investments to develop new Manufacturing USA institutes and strengthen advanced manufacturing resources for the national network to compete globally and maintain U.S. economic and national security.  

This legislation also enables extended federal funding for Delaware’s flagship National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL). NIIMBL supports industry-leading research with 115 members from industry, academic institutes, nonprofit organizations, and states. The Delaware-based manufacturing hub connects local manufacturers to national resources to spur local innovation and create new high-skill, high-paying jobs for Delawareans. 

The bill also embeds a liaison of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) in each Manufacturing USA institute to assist with cybersecurity training, workforce development and technology transfer for small- and medium-sized manufacturers. 

A summary of the bill can be found here.

The bill text can be found here

“Manufacturing is a cornerstone of American economic security and investment in advanced manufacturing is critical to ensure the future of U.S. global competitiveness,” said Senator Coons. “This bill will help expand the national network of public-private partnerships and continue NIIMBL’s work in Delaware to commercialize cutting-edge research and create new, well-paying manufacturing jobs. Support for manufacturing is bipartisan, and the Manufacturing USA program is where Congress and the Administration can find common ground.” 

“The United States must remain a global leader in manufacturing, and we need to commit to investing in public-private partnerships to boost this critical sector,” said Senator Gardner. “The Manufacturing USA program has already benefitted Colorado-based partners like NREL, and this bipartisan legislation will help bolster these programs across Colorado and the country.” 

“America has always been a global leader in manufacturing, and we need to do everything we can to make sure our country remains competitive to continue that leadership in the 21st century,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud to partner with Senator Coons to introduce the bipartisan Global Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing Act, which would expand the successful network of manufacturing institutes that promotes innovation and helps ensure new technologies will be developed and made in the United States. This legislation would improve job training programs and support entrepreneurs, creating more opportunities for our workers to succeed in manufacturing. These are the types of investments that strengthen our nation’s economy and ensure our products and workers can compete in the global market, and I urge my colleagues to join together to pass this bill.” 

“This legislation will give a boost to New Hampshire’s manufacturing sector, which creates good jobs and the innovative products that are crucial to our state’s economic success,” Senator Hassan said. “By expanding the national network of Manufacturing USA institutes – which includes Manchester’s own biofabrication manufacturer, BioFabUSA – we can help drive economic growth and expand opportunity for hard-working Granite Staters and Americans.” 

“Michigan is home to advanced manufacturers that will transform how our society operates in the future,” said Senator Peters. “In order to keep our country at the forefront of innovation, it is critical we have the workforce and technology that can strengthen our competitiveness in the world. This legislation will ensure we stay on the cutting-edge in advanced manufacturing.” 

“Kansas continues to demonstrate leadership in a number of advanced manufacturing sectors, including aerospace, defense, technology and agriculture,” said Senator Moran. “As the Chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee for Manufacturing, I remain committed to ensuring federal programs such as the Manufacturing USA network are well-resourced and modernized while also accounting for our small- and mid-sized manufacturers to contend with foreign competitors that threaten not only our economic security, but our national security as well.” 

Senator Coons is a leading advocate for boosting manufacturing in the United States. As the co-chair of the Senate Competitiveness Caucus, the Senator has encouraged his colleagues to work together to advance bipartisan legislation to help U.S. competitiveness through manufacturing. 

The legislation is supported by Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Association for Advancing Automation, Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), Association of American Universities (AAU), Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), Binghamton University, Bipartisan Policy Center Action, Boston Scientific Corporation, Delaware Manufacturing Association, Delaware Manufacturing Extension Partnership (DEMEP), Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Intelligent Manufacturing Systems International (IMS-I), International Society of Automation (ISA), Mac Arthur Corporation, Manufacturing Alliance of Communities (MAC), National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), National Council for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM), National Tooling & Machining Association, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rockwell Automation, SEMI, State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Delaware, and the SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Supporting quotes can be found here.

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