The Week Ahead for Senator Chris Coons January 12-18

Monday, January 12 at 11 a.m. — The Senator will speak at a celebration recognizing The Nemours / Alfred I duPont Hospital for Children as one of a select group of nationwide healthcare organizations to be recognized as a “Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the country’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization. Anthony N. Fusco Atrium at Nemours / Alfred I duDupont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, DE — Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-650-7858.

Monday, January 12 at 8 p.m. – The Senator will deliver brief remarks at the 2015 Delaware State Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner and Josiah Marvel Cup Awards Presentation. The annual event is dedicated to promoting an economic climate that builds the competitiveness of Delaware businesses and benefits of the state. Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington, DE – Open to the press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-650-7858.

Tuesday, January 13 at 11:15 a.m. — The Senator will attend Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on “Articulating The Case for American Leadership in the World” featuring guest Dr. Henry Kissinger. Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 419. Washington, D.C. – Open to press.

Tuesday, January 13 at 2:45 p.m. — The Senator will meet with Alan Gross. After serving five years of a 15-year prison sentence, on December 17, 2014, Alan was released from Cuba and returned to the United States. Senator Coons visited Alan while he was incarcerated in 2012. Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. – Closed to press. Background: http://1.usa.gov/1szRtQw

Wednesday, January 14 — The Senator will participate in the Democratic Caucus Issues Conference. The two-day conference will feature intensive discussions about the national political and economic environment.  Baltimore, MD — Closed to press.

Thursday, January 15 — The Senator will participate in the Democratic Caucus Issues Conference. The two-day conference will feature intensive discussions about the national political and economic environment.  Baltimore, MD — Closed to press.

Saturday, January 17 at 9 a.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks at the Raising Kings youth conference hosted by One Village Alliance. Raising Kings is a collaborative commitment to change the image and expectations of men and boys of color by elevating the level of positive male engagement in the lives of boys. P.S. du Pont Middle School, West 34^th Street, Wilmington, DE – Open to press. Contact Chandra Pitts at 302-275-1715. 

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Senator Coons sworn in for first full term in office

WASHINGTON – Chris Coons was sworn in on Tuesday afternoon on the Senate floor after being elected to his first full term as Delaware’s United States Senator. Vice President Biden held the same seat in the Senate for 36 years. Sen. Coons was sworn in along with 34 other senators, including 13 new senators.

“It was an honor to be sworn in again, to continue to serve Delaware for the next six years,” said Senator Coons. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work together with other colleagues in the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans to try and find common ground. I am hopeful in the years ahead, we can get develop real solutions to the jobs challenge, create better opportunities for our middle class, and to continue to get people back to work by fixing our roads and bridges.”

Once the official swearing in ceremony on the floor of the Senate concluded, Sen. Coons greeted guests at his reception.  Among those in attendance included Vice President Joe Biden, Delaware senior senator Tom Carper as well as Senators Nelson (Florida), Schatz (Hawaii), Franken (Minnesota), Tester (Montana), Booker (New Jersey), Schumer (New York) and Merkley (Oregon).

Afterward, Senator Coons was sworn-in again as part of a re-enactment, this time surrounded by family, and press in the Old Senate Chamber.

The recent outcome of the 2014 elections placed Democrats in the minority party, 54-44, with two independents.

Sen. Coons stayed focused on delivering results for the people who sent him back to Washington for his second term.

“There are real differences between Republicans and Democrats, and we will have our fights,” said Sen. Coons. “I am going to be working hard to make progress on the things that will make a difference in the lives of Delawareans.”

The Week Ahead for Senator Chris Coons January 4-7

Sunday, January 4 at 10:30 a.m. — The Senator will be interviewed on CBS’ Face The Nation about his trip to Liberia and his recommendations for changes to the U.S. strategy against Ebola. CBS, 2020 M Street NW, Washington D.C. — Can be seen in Delaware on CBS3 and WBOC16.

Monday, January 5 at 2 p.m. — The Senator will deliver remarks at an event hosted by Cigna noting the passage of the Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act. Sen. Coons will be joined by Sen. Tom Carper, Congressman John Carney, Governor Jack Markell, and Cigna’s President and CEO David Cordani, Global Health Benefits Chief Operating Officer David Maltby and more than 250 Cigna employees. Cigna Wilmington office, 300 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE – Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham 302-650-7858. Background: http://1.usa.gov/1xmfaBj. 

Tuesday, January 6 at 12 p.m. — The Senator will be officially sworn in as a member of the 114th Congress in the Old Senate Chamber. The swearing ceremony marks Sen. Coons’ start to his first full term as junior senator from Delaware. Old Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, January 6 at 1:45 p.m. — The Senator will participate in a reenactment photograph of his swearing in with Vice President Joe Biden. Old Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. — Closed to press. Photos will be available upon request.

Wednesday, January 7 at 9 a.m. — The Senator will participate in his first Democratic Leadership Meeting. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.

Thursday, January 8 at 11 a.m. — The Senator and his staff will receive an ethics training. With Senator Coons joining the Senate Ethics Committee in the 114th Congress, the Senator requested a refresher training for the staff. Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. — Closed to press. Training slides: http://1.usa.gov/1tHkmQT 

Saturday, January 10 at 12 p.m. – The Senator will deliver keynote remarks at The Potomac Coalition’s 19th Annual Jeffrey Arlyn Young retreat. This year’s retreat focuses on closing the racial wealth inequality gap by focusing on policy initiatives that promote job creation in the United States.  Hotel DuPont, Wilmington, DE – Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-650-7858.

Saturday, January 10 at 7 p.m. – The Senator will attend the 225^th Anniversary Celebration of the Medical Society of Delaware. The Medical Society of Delaware exists to guide, serve and support Delaware Physicians, promoting the practice and profession of medicine to enhance the health of our communities. Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington, DE – Closed to press. 

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

Manufacturing Update for December 2014

1. LATEST POLICY

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Passed by Congress — Omnibus appropriations bill with manufacturing priorities
Congress passed a $1.1 trillion omnibus appropriations bill that featured many manufacturing priorities, including:

• The bill increases funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), to $130 million.  MEP is the only public-private partnership dedicated to providing technical support and services to small and medium-sized manufacturers.
• Additional funding for the NSF’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) – a federal-state partnership that awards competitive funding to states to increase energy-related research investments.
• The bill includes language recognizing the importance of U.S. bio-manufacturing and directing the NSF to increase support for bio-manufacturing in its advanced manufacturing portfolio by dedicating at least $15 million to new bio-manufacturing initiatives.

More: Coons release

Passed by Congress — National Manufacturing Strategy
Congress passed bipartisan legislation authored by Sens. Coons (D-DE) and Kirk (R-IL) to create a national manufacturing strategy.  The bill was originally introduced in 2013 and would strengthen American manufacturing while not costing the federal government any money. “It’s time we catch up to our competitors around the globe and build a coherent, focused manufacturing strategy that can strengthen the middle class and make America the destination for 21st century manufacturing,” said Senator Coons.
More: Coons release 

Introduced — Trade Adjustment Assistance Act of 2014
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced legislation to extend a critical lifeline for workers who lose their jobs due to foreign trade.  Brown’s bill would reauthorize the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program and expand its training and reemployment services to 2009 levels. According to the Department of Labor, approximately two million workers nationwide have relied on TAA since 1975 to make ends meet and receive training necessary to find a new job.
More: Brown release

Executive Action — President Obama announces manufacturing action
President Obama announced nearly $400 million to help improve the competitiveness of American businesses and workers by spurring new manufacturing innovations and giving American workers additional opportunities to improve and expand their skill sets for middle-class jobs. The President announced:

• More than $290 million in public-private investment for two new Manufacturing Innovation Hub Competitions. These hubs will help support new advancements in manufacturing, and fulfill the President’s 2014 State of the Union pledge to launch four new institutes this year, for a total of eight institutes launched so far, and puts the Administration past the halfway mark on the President’s original goal of creating 15 manufacturing innovation institutes supported through executive action.  The hubs will include:
• A Department of Defense-led Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute.  The institute will focus on hybrid electronics that combine flexible materials with thin silicon chips to produce the next generation of electronic products seamlessly integrated into the things around us.  The hub will combine $75 million of federal investment with $75 million or more of private investment.
• A Department of Energy-led Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute.  This institute will focus on smart manufacturing, including advanced sensors, control, platforms, and models for manufacturing.  The new institute will receive a federal investment of $70 million that will be matched by at least $70 million in private investments.
• $100 million to expand apprenticeships for American workers.  Apprenticeships are a proven training strategy for workers to learn the skills that employers need for American businesses to grow and thrive in a competitive global environment.  The Department of Labor will launch a $100 million competition that will award 25 grants to business, non-profit, and local government partners.  The grants will help launch apprenticeships in new, high-growth fields, align apprenticeships with pathways to further learning and career advancement, and develop apprenticeship models that scale.

More: White House fact sheet

2. OTHER NEWS

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Floor Speech — Sens. Ayotte and Coons speak on Manufacturing Skills Act
Senators Coons (D-DE) and Ayotte (R-NH) took to the Senate floor to highlight bipartisan legislation they introduced to help cities and states build 21st century manufacturing training programs.  The Manufacturing Skills Act will create a $100 million competitive grant program to support initiatives that strengthen the manufacturing workforce and address regional skills challenges. Sen. Coons stated, “Manufacturing is one of the great areas of opportunity for meaningful bipartisan cooperation that will move our country, our economy and our working families forward.  … The bill has one simple goal which we share — to spur reforms in manufacturing skills training across our country.  … I’m convinced the United States is poised to really compete in the manufacturing economy of this century, but we still face key challenges in the job market for manufacturing.”
More: Ayotte release | C-Span video

News — Sen. Brown tours Byer Steel, unveils new legislation
Sen. Brown visited Byer Steel Group in Cincinnati to tour the facility and unveil new legislation that would help level the playing field for American manufacturers by strengthening the ability of the U.S. to crack down on unfair foreign competition resulting from violations of trade law. The Leveling the Playing Field Act would ensure American companies have the resources necessary to fight back against unfair foreign trade practices. “As American manufacturing continues its steady comeback, it is critical that we fully enforce our trade laws to ensure that American companies – like Byer Steel – can compete on a level playing field,” Brown said. “That’s why the Leveling the Playing Field Act is so important. We must fight back against foreign companies’ efforts to weaken our trade laws and exploit loopholes.”
More: Brown release

News — Sen. Baldwin testifies before International Trade Commission on behalf of Wisconsin manufacturer
Sen. Baldwin (D-WI) testified at a hearing of the International Trade Commission (ITC) on behalf of a Wisconsin paper company, Appvion of Appleton.  Appvion is a pulp and paper mill that manufactures and sells coated paper products world-wide and employs 1,644 employees in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Sen. Baldwin addressed a 2008 antidumping investigation into imports of lightweight thermal paper from China and Germany.  As a result of the investigation, antidumping duties were imposed on imports from Germany and China and countervailing duties were imposed on imports from China.  The antidumping duties are due to expire, and the ITC heard testimony about how the domestic marketplace is impacted by dumping.
More: Baldwin release

News — Sen. Shaheen gives speech on importance of STEM
Sen. Shaheen (D-NH) met with leaders of the University of New Hampshire’s Manchester STEM Discovery Lab where she delivered remarks on the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. “Initiatives like UNH’s STEM Ambassadors program put us on the right track for economic success,” Shaheen said. “Jobs in STEM fields are predicted to be the fastest growing occupations in next decade, and with continued investments and commitments to STEM education, we can make sure we have a homegrown talent supply that can drive our economy in the future.”
More: Shaheen release

News — Sen. Murphy launches “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer”
Sen. Murphy (D-CT) launched a new weekly series called “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer”, in which one of Connecticut’s manufacturers is recognized each week. Sen. Murphy has recognized:

• Severance Foods, the largest manufacturer and co-packer of tortilla chips in the Northeast, with 90 employees.
• Xamax Industries, a global supplier of engineered products such as fibers, papers, and films, with 36 employees.
• Polamer Precision, a contract aerospace manufacturer that produces engine and airframe components, with 83 employees.
• Moore Engineering, a family-run manufacturing business that performs high precision Jig Grinding using family-developed machines, utilizes Electric Discharge Machines to create products for particular geometries, specializes in custom fixtures for aerospace applications, and even designs prototypes, with 4 employees.
• Specialty Metal Fabrications, a veteran-owned manufacturer of precision metal products with 30 employees.
• Carla’s Pasta, which produces pastas and pestos, with 171 employees.
• Alinabal Holdings, a diversified manufacturer that manufactures products for the defense, aerospace, industrial, recreational, and medical industries, with 325 employees.

More: Murphy release

News — International Trade Commission imposes rebar duties
The International Trade Commission (ITC) determined that steel producers from Mexico and Turkey have caused economic harm to U.S. steel reinforcing bar (“rebar”) manufacturers.  Mexico’s producers were found to be dumping rebar into the U.S. market, while Turkey’s producers were found to be unfairly subsidizing their rebar exports.  Following the ITC decision, the Department of Commerce (DOC) will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect estimated duties for imports of rebar from Mexico and Turkey.
More: ITC release | Senate letter

Senator Coons Celebrates Delaware Day with 4th Annual ‘Taste of Delaware’

Hundreds of guests crowded into the Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate Office Building last Thursday for a chance to sample food and drinks from some of Delaware’s best eateries at the 4rd Annual Taste of Delaware celebration. Co-hosted by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and Senator Coons, the tradition brings together Delawareans and D.C. guests to enjoy the finest of the first state’s eats.

Taste of Delaware has come a long way. The first “unofficial” Taste of Delaware took place three years ago in a conference room just a week after Senator Coons took office. The gathering consisted of about 20 people enjoying a small sampling of Grotto Pizza, Capriotti’s sandwiches and Dogfish Head beer. Three years later, the event has gained a reputation among congressional staff and legislators as one of the can’t-miss events of the year.

Kicking off the reception, Senator Coons thanked guests and vendors for taking part in the event and encouraged those who enjoyed themselves to come to Delaware and explore more of the state’s culinary – and tax free – offerings. He also recognized Richard Heffron, President of Delaware’s Chamber of Commerce, Delaware staff, and the late restaurateur and humanitarian Matt Haley – noting how much Matt would have enjoyed the gathering. Senator Coons then invited the crowd to enjoy themselves, relaying the Benjamin Franklin quote, “beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy!”

Vendors from more than 20 restaurants, bakeries, breweries, and wineries from all corners of the state came to share their goods with D.C. guests, many of whom were Delaware transplants hungry for a taste of home. Celebrated Delaware staples like Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, Brandywine Brewing Company, and Dogfish Head Brewery lined the walls between popular restaurants like House of William and Merry, (a)Muse, and Piccolina Toscana. For images of the evening’s festivities, click here.

Cuba should release Alan Gross

Five years ago, Alan Gross was imprisoned in Cuba simply for trying to give others access to the Internet. He remains in Cuban captivity today.

Alan wasn’t a spy and he wasn’t a soldier. He was a humanitarian working to ensure Cubans could experience some of the freedoms we enjoy every day. It was a privilege to meet with Alan in Cuba two years ago and I have remained in touch with him since. The Cuban government should release Alan immediately.

I pray for Alan’s strength and his health, and I will continue working with the White House and State Department to win his release. 

The Week Ahead for Senator Chris Coons November 24-26

Monday, November 24 at 9 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Vision To Learn event to distribute glasses to children. Vision To Learn provides free eye exams and free glasses to elementary school students in low-income communities throughout Delaware. Highlands Elementary School, 2100 Gilpin Avenue, Wilmington, DE. Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham 302-650-7858.

Monday, November 24 at 6:30 p.m. – The Senator will speak to a group of Cub Scouts on the merits of citizenship. Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church 500 McKennans Church Road, Wilmington, DE. Closed to press.

Tuesday, November 25 at 10:30 a.m. – The Senator, along with University of Delaware students from the Formula Society of Automobile Engineers club, will test drive their latest race car. Senator Coons will then talk about the importance of preparing students for future manufacturing and STEM jobs currently left unfilled throughout the United States. University of Delaware STAR Campus parking lot. Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham 302-650-7858.

Tuesday, November 25 at 1:30 p.m. – The Senator will attend Norman Oliver’s 32^nd Annual Turkey Drive. The Stormin’ Norman Turkey Drive is one of Delaware’s biggest and oldest Thanksgiving feeding programs. This year marks the first in which the program will expand from the city of Wilmington to across the State. Boys & Girls Club of Newark, 109 Glasgow Drive, Newark, DE. Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-650-7858.

Thursday, November 26 at 9 a.m. – The Senator will fire the opening cannon of the Annual PNC Bank Thanksgiving Day Run/Walk for MS. PNC Bank’s Thanksgiving Day race is the largest race in Delaware, 36 years running. Runners participate in 5k, 10k and non-competitive 5k races in support of care and research done by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Starting line is in front of PNC Building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilmington.  – Open to Press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-650-7858.

The Senator’s Week Ahead Schedule for November 17-22

Monday, November 17 at 12 p.m. – The Senator will deliver remarks to attorneys from Lawyers for Israel Society. LFIS is a group of professionals who host educational programs, cultural events, fundraising events, and social and business networking opportunities on behalf of the land of Israel. Young, Conaway, Stargatt and Taylor. 1000 King Street, Wilmington, DE – Closed to press.

Tuesday, November 18 at 5 p.m. – The Senator will speak at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global IP Summit. The Global Intellectual Properties Center (GIPC) is holding a summit conference to highlight the critical role of copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets to foster in the next era of innovation. 1615 H Street NW, Washington D.C. – Registration required. Contact the summit administration at 202-463-5926.

Tuesday, November 18 at 5:30 pm. – The Senator will attend the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s 10^th Anniversary Celebration. The celebration, ‘A Decade of Driving Change and Delivering Impact,’ will feature keynote speakers such as John Kerry, John Podesta, Dana J. Hyde, and others, to award  GE, the country of Jordan, and Anushka Ratnayake for outstanding contributions in driving Millennium Development Goals. Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, 8th and G Streets, N.W. Washington, DC 20001.

Wednesday, November 19 at 2 p.m. – The Senator will preside over the Senate until 4 p.m. Senate Chamber, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. – Open to press who wish to sit in the Senate Gallery.

Thursday, November 20 at 10 a.m. – The Senator will attend a Judiciary Business Meeting. The committee will consider S. 2520, a bill to improve the Freedom of Information Act, and multiple nominations for both U.S. Court seats and various District courts. Dirksen Senate Building, Room 226, Washington D.C. – Open to Press. Contact Committee Press Jessica Brady (majority) at 202-224-7703 or Beth Levine (minority) 202-224-5225.

Friday, November 21 at 10:30 a.m. – The Senator will attend and deliver brief remarks at the dedication of Incyte’s corporate headquarters. The recently renovated Incyte headquarters boasts 191,000 square feet of office and laboratory space to house more than 550 employees. John Wanamaker Building, 1801 Augustine Cutoff, Wilmington, DE. Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-685-2795.

Friday, November 21 at 12:30 p.m. – The Senator will deliver keynote remarks at the Delaware Contractors Association’s annual fall luncheon. The Delaware Contractors Association (DCA) is a non-profit organization designed to bring strength and unity to the Delaware construction industry. Wilmington Country Club, 4825 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, DE. Open to press. Contact Brian P. Cunningham at 302-685-2795.

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

Senator Coons urges Congressional support for emergency funding to fight Ebola

Senator Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, urged his colleagues on Wednesday to support the President’s emergency funding request for the fight against Ebola, and warned about the danger in cutting funds from efforts to stop the virus in West Africa. The comments came during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on President Obama’s $6.2 billion emergency request to fight the Ebola outbreak.

“The single best way for us to protect American lives is to engage vigorously in the work and the fight against Ebola on the ground in West Africa,” Senator Coons said at the hearing. “This emergency funding request provides support for every facet of what’s needed to keep Americans safe, first by strengthening and bolstering our readiness here in the United States, but principally by ensuring that we contain Ebola in Liberia, in Sierra Leone, in Guinea, and prevent its spread to neighboring countries.”

Senator Coons also recounted a conversation he had last week with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, “who wanted me to make a point of thanking the American people for our generosity and our engagement, but urged us not to let off now. Just because there is some hopeful news doesn’t mean that we’ve turned the corner on this, and in the region, it still remains a dangerous and difficult time.”

The Senator expressed his gratitude for the “remarkable sacrifice” of the volunteers, missionaries, aid workers, and military personnel who have deployed to West Africa to fight the virus, and reiterated his opposition to a “travel ban” that would prevent them from returning to the United States. “Americans who go abroad should not be stigmatized when they return; should be honored and supported in their commitment and service; and should have confidence that they can return from their service, and be supported when they do so.”

Manufacturing Update for September 2014

1. LATEST POLICY
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Introduced — Creating Quality Technical Educators Act
Senators Baldwin (D-WI), Kaine (D-VA), and Portman (R-OH) introduced the Creating Quality Technical Educators Act.  The Act creates a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher-training grant partnership to recruit and train high-quality CTE teachers.  The Creating Quality Technical Educators Act grant would foster partnerships between high-needs secondary schools and post-secondary institutions to create one-year teacher residencies for CTE teachers.  Through grants in the Higher Education and Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), many teacher residency partnerships already exist between post-secondary institutions and local schools to train prospective educators, but none are CTE focused.

CTE teacher residencies created through the Creating Quality Technical Educators Act would target mid-career professionals in related technical fields, as well as recent college graduates, veterans or currently licensed teachers with a desire to transition to a CTE focus.
More: Baldwin release

Introduced — Manufacturing Skills Act
Senators Coons (D-DE) and Ayotte (R-NH) introduced the Manufacturing Skills Act, bipartisan legislation to help cities and states build 21^st century manufacturing training programs.  The bill creates an annual $100 million competitive grant to support initiatives that strengthen the manufacturing workforce and address regional skills challenges.  Applicants will establish a local task force, consisting of leaders from the public, nonprofit, and manufacturing sector, as well as labor and education representatives, to apply for and carry out the three-year grant. A federal inter-agency partnership will review applications and award grants to the five states and five metropolitan areas with the strongest proposals.
More: Coons release

Announced — President Obama announces new manufacturing hubs competition
The President announced a new competition to award more than $200 million in public and private investment to create an Integrated Photonics Manufacturing Institute.  This is the second of four new institute competitions that will be launched this year. The competition will be led by the Department of Defense, which will award more than $100 million in federal investment to match $100 million or more in private investment.  The money will be used to build a new Institute for Manufacturing Innovation (IMI) focused on Integrated Photonics.  Photonics covers all of the uses of light; applications include powering the internet, medical technology, and national defense. The Institute will focus on developing an end-to-end photonics ‘ecosystem’ in the U.S., including domestic foundry access, integrated design tools, automated packaging, assembly and testing, and workforce development.
More: White House fact sheet

2. OTHER NEWS
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News — Manufacturing Day
The President and Secretary of Commerce Pritzker visited Millennium Steel Service in Princeton, IN to celebrate Manufacturing Day.  Millennium supplies automotive grade steel sheet to Toyota and related parts makers.  Other cabinet members traveled across the country to discuss the importance of continuing to invest in American manufacturing, as more than 1,600 U.S. manufacturers opened their factories to the public.

As part of Manufacturing Day, the White House and Department of Commerce released a “Digital Tour of American Manufacturing,” a new digital report that highlights the central role of manufacturing in laying the foundation for a new American economy.

The Department of Commerce also released the Assess Costs Everywhere portal to help manufacturers evaluate the advantages of locating in the United States.  Developed with experts at Lausanne University, the tool helps manufacturers directly quantify the often hidden costs of lengthy, overseas supply chains.  The new inventory costs tool will be used across Commerce’s manufacturing extension centers, which already support more than 30,000 small and medium manufacturers each year.
More: Manufacturing day | Digital Tour of American Manufacturing | Assess Costs Everywhere

News — Senators host briefing on Career and Technical Education
Senators Baldwin (D-WI), Kaine (D-VA) and Portman (R-OH), co-chairs of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, hosted a briefing and panel discussion on the current opportunities and challenges in aligning skills training with the needs of the 21st century workforce. The panel featured leaders from the education, business and government sectors in Wisconsin, Virginia, Ohio and the U.S. Department of Labor who shared their perspectives on the best practices and policies for supplying employers with a skilled workforce and providing students with the training necessary to find employment.
More: Baldwin release

News — Congressional briefing on NNMI
Senators Brown (D-OH) and Blunt (R-MO) and Congressman Reed (D-NY-23) and Kennedy (D-MA-4) hosted a briefing on the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI).  The briefing featured Commerce Secretary Pritzker and leaders from industry discussing the activities of the pilot Manufacturing Innovation Institutes and the role of the Revitalize American Manufacturing Innovation (RAMI) Act.
More: Manufacturing.gov

News — McCaskill Op-Ed
Senator McCaskill (D-MO) recently wrote an op-ed arguing that “it’s critical that Congress take bipartisan action to renew the Export-Import Bank.”  Senator McCaskill described the Ex-Im Bank as “[o]ne of the most import tools in [the] toolkit … which helps Missouri businesses boost jobs and gives them a competitive edge to succeed internationally.”

As the Senator noted, “Export-Import Bank’s work is simple and incredibly valuable to American business. The Bank supports American jobs by helping to finance foreign sales of U.S. products through loan guarantees, direct loans, and credit insurance, all at no cost to taxpayers. The bank actually earns revenue for the Treasury, including more than $1 billion in 2013 alone. Since 2009, the Export-Import Bank has supported $188 billion in U.S. exports and 1.2 million American jobs. More than 3,400 small businesses rely on the bank to finance export deals

In Missouri, the Export-Import Bank has supported $1 billion in exports from 96 Missouri companies since 2007. And nearly 85 percent of businesses supported by the Export-Import Bank are small and medium-sized businesses.”
More: McCaskill Op-Ed 

Report — The Shifting Economics of Global Manufacturing
A new report from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) identifies the United States as a “rising global star” of manufacturing.  The report finds that “China’s estimated manufacturing-cost advantage over the U.S. has shrunk to less than 5 percent” and “[c]ost structures in … the U.S. improved more than in all of the other 25 largest exporting economies.”
More: BCG report