Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Wednesday joined Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and introduced new legislation to help manufacturing across the United States.
The bill, the Strengthening Support for American Manufacturing Act, would propose enhancements to improve the U.S. Department of Commerce’s manufacturing programs in order to better serve manufacturers.
At the same time, the legislation would examine the strength of current efforts to support the businesses.
“The global supply chain crisis resulting from our dependence on Communist China underscored the importance of strengthening American manufacturing,” said Blackburn. “The Strengthening Support for American Manufacturing Act will streamline programs run by the Department of Commerce to eliminate government waste and improve efficiency. This legislation will benefit the manufacturing community based in Tennessee and across the U.S.”
In order to achieve the goals outlined, congressional approval would commission a study by the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA). The study must be submitted to Congress no later than one year after the Department of Commerce and NAPA begin the agreement.
Both Blackburn and Peters pointed to the reliance of the U.S. on China for manufactured goods as inspiration for the proposed legislation.
“It is essential we have a streamlined federal manufacturing strategy that can support businesses, create good-paying jobs, and secure our economic competitiveness on the world stage,” added Peters. “However, for too long our country has lacked a coherent, national manufacturing strategy like our foreign competitors – particularly the Chinese government. Additionally, federal support for manufacturers is often fractured, uncoordinated and difficult to navigate. That’s why I was proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to generate a more efficient, unified approach to federal manufacturing policy, and ensure we remain a global manufacturing leader for generations,”
— — —
Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
