[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 1 (Thursday, January 4, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S83-S84]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KOHL (for himself and Ms. Snowe):
  S. 69. A bill to authorize appropriations for the Hollings 
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program, and for other purposes; to 
the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise in support of the Kohl-Snowe 
legislation which would fund the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, 
MEP, for fiscal year 2008-fiscal year 2012. I am a long-time supporter 
of the MEP program and believe manufacturing is crucial to the U.S. 
economy. American manufacturers are a cornerstone of the American 
economy and embody the best in American values. A healthy manufacturing 
sector is key to better jobs, rising productivity and higher standards 
of living in the United States. Every individual and industry depends 
on manufactured goods. In addition, innovations and productivity gains 
in the manufacturing sector provide benefits far beyond the products 
themselves.
  Small- and medium-sized manufacturers face unprecedented challenges 
in today's global economy which threaten the existence of manufacturing 
jobs in the United States. If it isn't China pirating our technologies 
and promising a low-wage workforce, it is soaring heath care and energy 
costs that cut into profits. Manufacturers today are seeking ways to 
level the playing field so they can compete globally.
  One way to level the playing field--and increase the competitiveness 
of manufacturers--is through the MEP program. MEP streamlines 
operations, integrates new technologies, shortens production times and 
lowers costs, leading to improved efficiency by offering resources to 
manufacturers, including organized workshops and consulting projects. 
In Wisconsin, three of our largest corporations--John Deere, Harley-
Davidson, and Oshkosh Truck--are working with Wisconsin MEP centers to 
develop domestic supply chains. I am proud to say that these companies 
found it more profitable to work with small- and medium-sized Wisconsin 
firms than to look overseas for cheap labor.
  You would be hard pressed to find another program that has produced 
the results that MEP has. In Wisconsin alone in fiscal year 2006, WMEP 
reported 2,696 new or retained workers, sales of $163 million, cost 
savings of $33 million, and plant and equipment investments of $37 
million.
  Manufacturing is an integral part of a web of inter-industry 
relationships that create a stronger economy. Manufacturing sells goods 
to other sectors in the economy and, in turn, buys products and 
services from them. Manufacturing spurs demand for everything from raw 
materials to intermediate components to software to financial, legal, 
health, accounting, transportation, and other services in the course of 
doing business.
  The future of manufacturing in the United States will be largely 
determined by how well small- and medium-sized companies cope with the 
changes in today's global economy. To be successful, businesses need 
state-of-the-art technologies to craft products more efficiently, a 
skilled workforce to meet the demands of modern manufacturers and a 
commitment from the government to provide the resources to allow 
companies to remain competitive.
  At a time when economic recovery and global competitiveness are 
national priorities, I believe MEP continues to be a wise investment.

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