[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 121 (Tuesday, September 11, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H5830-H5835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMERICAN MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS ACT OF 2012
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5865) to promote the growth and competitiveness of American
manufacturing, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5865
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``American Manufacturing
Competitiveness Act of 2012''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS STRATEGY.
Not later than June 1, 2014, and June 1, 2018, the
President shall submit to Congress, and publish on a public
website, a strategy to promote growth, sustainability, and
competitiveness in the Nation's manufacturing sector, create
well-paid, stable jobs, enable innovation and investment, and
support national security.
SEC. 3. MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS BOARD.
(a) In General.--On the first day of each of the two
Presidential terms following the date of enactment of this
Act, there is established within the Department of Commerce
an American Manufacturing Competitiveness Board.
(b) Members.--Members of the Board shall be appointed as
follows:
(1) Public sector members.--The President shall appoint to
the Board--
(A) the Secretary of Commerce;
(B) Governors of two States, from different political
parties, after consulting with the National Governors
Association; and
(C) two other members who are current or former officials
of the executive branch of government.
(2) Private sector members.--
(A) Criteria.--Ten individuals from the private sector
shall be appointed to the Board in accordance with
subparagraph (B) from among individuals with experience in
the areas of--
(i) managing manufacturing companies, including businesses
with fewer than 100 employees;
(ii) managing supply chain providers;
(iii) managing labor organizations;
(iv) workforce development;
(v) finance;
(vi) analyzing manufacturing policy and competitiveness;
(vii) conducting manufacturing-related research and
development; and
(viii) the defense industrial base.
(B) Appointment.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the majority leader of the Senate shall
each appoint 3 members to the Board. The minority leader of
the House of Representatives and the minority leader of the
Senate shall each appoint 2 members to the Board.
(c) Termination.--The Board shall terminate 60 days after
submitting its final report pursuant to section 4(c)(3).
(d) Co-chairmen.--The co-chairmen of the Board shall be the
Secretary of Commerce (or the designee of the Secretary) and
a member elected by the private sector members of the Board
appointed pursuant to subsection (b)(2).
(e) Subgroups.--The Board may convene subgroups to address
particular industries, policy topics, or other matters and to
take advantage of the expertise of other individuals and
entities in matters to be addressed by the Board. Such
subgroups may include members representing any of the
following:
(1) Other Federal agencies, as the co-chairmen determine
appropriate.
(2) State, tribal, and local governments.
(3) The private sector.
(f) Quorum.--Ten members of the Board shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business but a lesser number
may hold hearings with the agreement of the co-chairmen.
(g) Meetings and Hearings.--
(1) Timing and frequency of meetings.--The Board shall meet
at the call of the co-chairmen, and not fewer than 2 times.
(2) Public hearings required.--The Board shall convene
public hearings to solicit views on the Nation's
manufacturing sector and recommendations for the national
manufacturing competitiveness strategy.
(3) Locations of public hearings.--The locations of public
hearings convened under paragraph (2) shall ensure the
inclusion of multiple regions and industries of the
manufacturing sector.
(h) Application of Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), other than
section 14 of such Act, shall apply to the Board, including
any subgroups established pursuant to subsection (e).
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE BOARD.
(a) In General.--The Board shall--
(1) advise the President on issues affecting the Nation's
manufacturing sector;
(2) conduct a comprehensive analysis in accordance with
subsection (b); and
(3) develop a national manufacturing competitiveness
strategy in accordance with subsection (c).
(b) Comprehensive Analysis.--In developing a national
manufacturing competitiveness strategy under subsection (c),
the Board shall conduct a comprehensive analysis of the
Nation's manufacturing sector, taking into consideration
analyses, data, and other information previously compiled, as
well as relevant reports, plans, or recommendations issued by
Federal agencies, Federal advisory boards, and the private
sector. Such analysis shall, to the extent feasible,
address--
[[Page H5831]]
(1) the value and role of manufacturing in the Nation's
economy, security, and global leadership;
(2) the current domestic and international environment for
the Nation's manufacturing sector, and any subsector
identified by the Board as warranting special study for
competitiveness or for comparison purposes;
(3) Federal, State, tribal, and local policies, programs,
and conditions that affect manufacturing;
(4) a summary of the manufacturing policies and strategies
of the Nation's 10 largest trading partners, to the extent
known;
(5) new, emerging, or evolving markets, technologies, and
products for which the Nation's manufacturers could compete;
(6) the identification of redundant or ineffective
government programs related to manufacturing, as well as any
programs that have improved manufacturing competitiveness;
(7) the short- and long-term forecasts for the Nation's
manufacturing sector, and forecasts of expected national and
international trends and factors likely to affect such sector
in the future;
(8) the manner in which Federal agencies share information
and views with respect to the effects of proposed or active
regulations or other executive actions on the Nation's
manufacturing sector and its workforce;
(9) the recommendations of the Department of Commerce
Manufacturing Council, whether such recommendations have been
implemented, and the effect of such recommendations; and
(10) any other matters affecting the growth, stability, and
sustainability of the Nation's manufacturing sector or the
competitiveness of the Nation's manufacturing environment,
particularly relative to that of other nations, including--
(A) workforce skills, gaps, and development;
(B) productivity and the extent to which national economic
statistics related to manufacturing accurately measure
manufacturing output and productivity growth;
(C) trade policy and balance;
(D) energy policy, forecasts, and developments;
(E) expenditures on basic and applied research related to
manufacturing technology;
(F) programs to help small and mid-sized manufacturers
become more competitive;
(G) the impact of Federal statutes and regulations;
(H) the impact of domestic and international monetary
policy;
(I) the impact of taxation;
(J) financing and investment, including challenges
associated with commercialization and scaling up of
production;
(K) research and development;
(L) job creation and employment disparities;
(M) levels of domestic production;
(N) adequacy of the industrial base for maintaining
national security;
(O) protections for intellectual property and the related
policies, procedures, and law on technology transfer; and
(P) customs enforcement and counterfeiting.
(c) National Manufacturing Competitiveness Strategy.--
(1) Development.--The Board shall develop a national
manufacturing competitiveness strategy, based on--
(A) the results of the comprehensive analysis conducted
under subsection (b); and
(B) any other information, studies, or perspectives that
the Board determines to be appropriate.
(2) Goals and recommendations.--
(A) Goals.--The Board shall include in the national
manufacturing competitiveness strategy short- and long-term
goals for improving the competitiveness conditions of the
Nation's manufacturing environment, taking into account the
matters addressed in the comprehensive analysis conducted
under subsection (b).
(B) Recommendations.--The Board shall include in the
national manufacturing competitiveness strategy
recommendations for achieving the goals provided under
subparagraph (A). Such recommendations may propose--
(i) actions to improve manufacturing competitiveness to be
taken by the President, Congress, State and local
governments, and the private sector;
(ii) actions to improve government policies and
coordination among entities developing such policies;
(iii) the consolidation or elimination of government
programs;
(iv) actions to improve government interaction with the
manufacturing sector and communication regarding the effects
of proposed or active government regulations or other
executive actions on the manufacturing sector and its
workforce;
(v) the reform or elimination of regulations that place the
United States manufacturing sector at a disadvantage relative
to other nations; and
(vi) actions to reduce business uncertainty, including,
where appropriate, finalization of regulations applicable to
manufacturers.
(3) Report.--
(A) Draft.--Not later than 150 days before the date on
which the President is required to submit to Congress a
report containing a national manufacturing competitiveness
strategy under section 2, the Board shall publish in the
Federal Register and on a public website a draft report
containing a national manufacturing competitiveness strategy.
At the same time, the Board shall make available to the
public the comprehensive analysis required by subsection (b)
and any underlying data or materials necessary to an
understanding of the conclusions reached.
(B) Public comment; review and revision.--A draft report
published under subparagraph (A) shall remain available for
public comment for a period of not less than 30 days from the
date of publication. The Board shall review any comments
received regarding such draft report and may revise the draft
report based upon those comments.
(C) Publication.--Not later than 60 days before the date on
which the President is required to submit to Congress a
report containing a national manufacturing competitiveness
strategy under section 2, the Board shall submit to the
President for review and revision a final report containing a
national manufacturing competitiveness strategy, and shall
publish such final report on a public website.
(D) Contents of report.--The final report submitted under
subparagraph (C) shall, to the extent feasible, include--
(i) an estimate of the short- and long-term Federal
Government outlays and revenue changes necessary to implement
the national manufacturing competitiveness strategy and an
estimate of savings that may be derived from implementation
of the national manufacturing competitiveness strategy;
(ii) a detailed explanation of the methods and analysis
used to determine the estimates included under clause (i);
(iii) recommendations regarding how to pay for the cost of
implementation estimated under clause (i); and
(iv) a plan for how the recommendations included in the
report will be implemented and who is or should be
responsible for the implementation.
(d) Consultation; Nonduplication of Efforts.--The Board
shall consult with and not duplicate the efforts of the
Defense Science Board, the President's Council of Advisors on
Science and Technology, the Manufacturing Council established
by the Department of Commerce, the Economic Security
Commission, the Labor Advisory Committee for Trade
Negotiations and Trade Policy, and other relevant
governmental entities conducting any activities related to
manufacturing.
SEC. 5. REQUIREMENT TO CONSIDER NATIONAL MANUFACTURING
COMPETITIVENESS STRATEGY IN BUDGET.
In preparing the budget for each of the fiscal years from
fiscal year 2016 through fiscal year 2022 under section
1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, the President shall
include information regarding the consistency of the budget
with the goals and recommendations included in the national
manufacturing competitiveness strategy.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means--
(A) during the first Presidential term that begins after
the date of enactment of this Act, the American Manufacturing
Competitiveness Board established by section 3(a) on the
first day of such term; and
(B) during the second Presidential term that begins after
the date of enactment of this Act, the American Manufacturing
Competitiveness Board established by section 3(a) on the
first day of such term.
(2) Private sector.--The term ``private sector'' includes
labor, industry, industry associations, academia,
universities, trade associations, nonprofit organizations,
and other appropriate nongovernmental groups.
(3) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, and each
commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Mrs. Bono Mack) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr.
Butterfield) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and insert extraneous materials in the Record on H.R. 5865.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5865, the American
Manufacturing Competitiveness Act.
Throughout our Nation's long history, a growing and robust
manufacturing sector has helped to make America great. It's been a
driving force in our economy since the Industrial Revolution.
But as our Nation has moved from the atomic age to the space age, the
information age, manufacturing has not kept up, losing nearly 6 million
American jobs since the beginning of the
[[Page H5832]]
21st century. Aging, rusting, and abandoned factories litter the U.S.
landscape.
Statistics show the manufacturing sector was the hardest hit in terms
of job losses during the Great Recession. While manufacturing accounts
for just one-tenth of our Nation's jobs, manufacturing has suffered a
third of our Nation's job losses.
We have a chance now to reverse this trend, and I applaud the hard
work of Mr. Lipinski and Mr. Kinzinger in developing a bipartisan plan
for improving manufacturing in the U.S.
I would also like to thank Chairman Upton, Ranking Member Waxman, and
subcommittee Ranking Member Butterfield for their hard work in bringing
this important bill to the floor for a vote.
The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act calls for two
Presidential reports to Congress outlining the strategy for promoting
growth, sustainability, and competitiveness in the manufacturing
sector. The reports are due in April of 2014 and again in 2018.
Now, why is this so important? Well, for one thing, manufacturing has
the highest job multiplier of any industry in our economy, producing
$1.35 for every $1 in direct spending. Just as importantly,
manufacturing is responsible for two-thirds of all private R&D spending
in the U.S., and it drives technology innovation. But on the flip side,
for every manufacturing job lost in America, another 2.3 jobs are also
lost throughout our economy.
Here's the bottom line: If America is going to continue to lead the
world in innovation, we must foster a more conducive environment for
manufacturing.
H.R. 5865 establishes a manufacturing competitiveness board made up
of 15 members. Five public sector members are appointed by the
President, and the remaining 10 private sector members are appointed by
House and Senate leaders. That gives both the executive branch and the
legislative branch a shared role as well as a shared stake in making
sure that this process is ultimately successful.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5865 is a sound, bipartisan approach to improving
manufacturing in America, and I strongly urge its passage.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5865, the American
Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2012.
The lead bipartisan cosponsors of this bill are two gentlemen from
Illinois, Congressman Daniel Lipinski and my colleague on the Energy
and Commerce Committee, Congressman Adam Kinzinger. I want to thank
both of them for their work on this bill and, in particular, for
working with me and Chairwoman Bono Mack to move this bill in a form
that both sides can support.
H.R. 5865 aims to build upon the recent growth of the U.S.
manufacturing sector with the end goal being the return of more and
more individuals to stable and good-paying jobs.
Specifically, Mr. Speaker, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness
Act requires the President to prepare and submit to Congress in 2014
and 2018 a national manufacturing strategy with assistance from the
American Manufacturing Competitiveness Board established by the bill.
The board will be comprised of the Secretary of Commerce, State
Governors, and officials from the executive branch, in addition to 10
individuals from the private sector appointed by the majority and
minority leadership of the House and the Senate.
There is no more important issue to Americans than the ability to get
and keep a job, provide for their families, and ensure that when their
children grow up they too can succeed. This is the promise of the
American Dream, and it's a promise that, despite the slow climb out of
the deep recession caused by the reckless bets in Wall Street, that I
and most Americans still believe in. Moreover, it's a promise that we
here in Congress have been entrusted by our constituents to work
towards by promoting initiatives and enacting policies that will lead
to the creation of new jobs to replace and supplement those that have
been lost.
This is something that the Obama administration has taken very
seriously, and the administration has rightfully made growing the
manufacturing sector a key element to getting Americans back to work.
This has also been a priority of the House Democratic leadership
through its Make It In America policy initiatives.
And we are seeing results, Mr. Speaker, we are seeing results. Over
the past 2 years, the manufacturing sector has added more than 450,000
jobs.
{time} 1730
That is worth repeating. Over the past 2 years, the manufacturing
sector has added more than 450,000 jobs. Not since the Clinton
administration has this sector seen such fast growth.
In my own State of North Carolina, we know all too well about the
loss of manufacturing jobs, but those jobs have begun to return. And we
are feeling it and we are seeing it. North Carolina is the fifth
largest manufacturing State in the country and the largest in the
Southeast. Our manufacturing sector provides about $80 billion to our
GDP--roughly 20 percent of the total. The nearly 11,000 manufacturing
companies in North Carolina employ almost 15 percent of the total
workforce, and well over half a million of these jobs pay more than
$65,000 annually.
American manufacturing is primed for a renaissance. The House
Democrats' Make It in America agenda provides even greater
opportunities for success. Several of these initiatives have already
become law, including bills that cut taxes and create loans for small
businesses, speed up the patent process, and lower the cost of raw
materials and help to end tax loopholes so that companies are
discouraged from shipping jobs overseas.
Mr. Speaker, in the 111th Congress, House Democrats led efforts to
support American clean-energy firms, invest in job-training
partnerships, and hold China accountable for unfair currency
manipulation that cost us in America very precious jobs. When more
products are made in America, more families can make it in America. The
American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act promises to build on and
complement the Obama administration's efforts and our efforts to grow
manufacturing in the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I support this bill. I thank my colleagues on the other
side of the aisle for their cooperation with bringing this to the floor
and getting it for a vote today. I thank not only the chair and the
ranking member of the full committee, but the chair of our
subcommittee, who works with us on so many of these important issues.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the coauthor of the
legislation, a very hardworking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce,
Manufacturing, and Trade, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger).
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. I would like to thank Chairman Bono Mack
for the time and her work in getting this bill to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the American Manufacturing
Competitiveness Act. It's an honor to stand here with my colleague from
Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) in support of this forward-thinking, bipartisan
legislation, especially at a time when Americans feel like Republicans
and Democrats are unable to work together.
Mr. Speaker, the world is becoming more competitive, as evidenced by
the recent report from the World Economic Forum announcing that the
U.S. has fallen from first to seventh in global competitiveness. And I
tell you what actually really gets to me is the fact that I feel like
many Americans are starting to accept the fact that we are just going
to lose our competitive edge and we're going to lose our manufacturing
power base to a country like China. And I don't think that's something
that we have to accept.
We've heard from the manufacturing base in this country. They need a
simpler Tax Code. They need an education system that prepares students
in math and science, trade policies that are open and fair, and
regulations that protect the health and welfare of our citizens with
the lowest cost on business. The purpose of this legislation is to
build on the consensus and ensure government policies promote a
competitive environment for manufacturers in the decades to come.
[[Page H5833]]
Mr. Speaker, we are the biggest economy in the world because of our
manufacturing resources. We produce 21 percent of global manufactured
goods, with an estimated 18.6 million jobs. Manufacturing jobs are some
of the highest paying in our economy, with the average job making
upwards of $77,000 annually. With the right policies in place, we can
usher in a manufacturing renaissance in this legislation, and this
legislation will help ensure our global competitiveness for decades to
come.
Mr. Speaker, in Illinois alone, over 600,000 people are employed in
manufacturing. This is an industry that's vital to the health of our
economy and our national security. This Nation is blessed to have some
of the hardest working and most innovative people in the world. When I
go home to Illinois and I speak directly to a small or large
manufacturer, they're ready to compete on the global stage, and they're
ready to compete with China. They only need government to ensure that
they are playing on a level playing field. That means fair trade, a
simple tax policy, educated students, and the least burdensome
regulations possible.
This legislation will bring together private sector and government
leaders to create a manufacturing strategy that both Congress and the
President can implement. It's time to get politics out of supporting
the middle class. The American people are tired of stalemates. They're
ready for action. They're ready for both parties to focus their energy
on the people who elected them. Now is the time to act before this
window of opportunity for a manufacturing renaissance passes us by. I'm
proud of this legislation. I think it's a strong first step in finding
solutions to help our Nation's economy. And I urge my colleagues to
support this legislation.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), who is also the minority whip of
the House Democratic Caucus and is a great friend of the manufacturing
sector.
Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to
congratulate Dan Lipinski for authoring this legislation. It is one of
the key pieces of our Make It in America agenda, which my distinguished
friend from North Carolina has discussed. I also want to thank my dear
and good friend, Mary Bono Mack, for her leadership on this effort.
As the gentleman said, and I can adopt the remarks of the previous
speaker, Mr. Kinzinger, we do need a manufacturing policy. We do need a
manufacturing renaissance. And we do need a psychology that America is
going to be number one and stay number one and create the kind of good-
paying jobs for our people that manufacturing provides.
Andrew Liveris, who's the chief CEO of Dow Chemical, wrote a book.
The name of that book is ``Make It in America.'' Manufacture it in
America. Grow it in America. Sell it here and sell it around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Mr. Lipinski's bill, the American
Manufacturing Competitiveness Act. This passed out of committee
unanimously 4 months ago. This bill is a key part of House Democrats'
Make It in America plan to strengthen American manufacturing. But it's
not a Democratic plan. It's not a Republican plan. It's an American
plan. All of us can resoundingly support this and take ownership of a
renaissance in manufacturing.
For the past 2 years, our manufacturing sector was a bright spot in
our economic recovery, seeing the first increase in manufacturing jobs
since the nineties. But for the last 3 months that sector has begun to
contract a little bit, a symptom of Congress' failure, in my opinion,
to take serious action on legislation like Make It in America. And,
yes, taxes and regulations. The gentleman was correct. That's why we
need the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act. This bill will
bring the public and private sectors together with labor and other
stakeholders to craft plans to develop comprehensive national
manufacturing strategies in 2014 and 2018.
Ladies and gentlemen, none of you doubt that our competitors across
this globe are doing this. We are late to this ball game. But the good
news is we are the most able, productive economy in the world, and we
can compete with anybody. All we need is a good plan. Other nations
around the globe have strategies to increase the manufacturing to keep
America competitive. It is imperative that we have a plan as well. Not
to pick winners and losers, but to create the environment of which the
gentleman spoke just before me about an environment that allows
manufacturing to grow.
I want to thank, again, the ranking member for his very compelling
statement that he made. The Obama administration focused on
revitalizing the manufacturing sector, and Representative Lipinski's
bill ensures that the U.S. Government will continue to pursue policies
that bolster manufacturing and add jobs. I want to commend
Representative Lipinski for his leadership on this issue, as well as
Ranking Member Waxman, Ranking Member Butterfield, whom I've already
referenced, and other Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
{time} 1740
But I also want to commend those Republican leaders on the Commerce
Committee, and Mr. Manzullo, who is sitting here, my dear friend, who
heads up the Small Business Committee, is focused on growing jobs in
America. I also want to thank Chairman Upton and I have already thanked
Chairman Bono Mack, but she is my good friend so I'll thank her again,
for their work to make sure this bill came to the floor with bipartisan
support.
Mr. Speaker, the Energy and Commerce Committee reported this bill in
June with a bipartisan vote. I am sure it will receive a bipartisan
vote tonight.
I will tell you there is no place in America you can go--not the most
conservative district, not the most liberal district, not the most
Republican district or the most Democratic district. And you could talk
about make it in America, and you'll get heads nodding in agreement.
This is not an issue of philosophy. It's a pragmatic issue of growing
our economy, creating the kinds of jobs that our people need, jobs that
pay well, give them good benefits, and a bright future for them, their
families, and their children.
So I commend both the Republican and Democratic side for bringing
this piece of legislation to the floor and urge its unanimous adoption
by this Congress.
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo).
Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, as the co-founder and co-chair of the
House Manufacturing Caucus, I cannot overstate the importance of
manufacturing in America and the need for this important legislation.
The U.S. is still the largest manufacturer in the world, churning out
about $1.7 trillion in value annually, and one in six jobs is tied
directly or indirectly to manufacturing.
Manufacturing drives innovation by conducting two-thirds of all
research and development and creating the bulk of technology in our
Nation and nearly 70 percent of all exported goods from the United
States in 2011 originated from the manufacturing sector.
In the U.S., every one dollar in final sales in manufacturing goods
supports $1.35 in output from other sectors of the economy. That
multiplier effect is higher than any other economic sector. Many other
jobs, such as those in financial services, depend on somebody else
making a product. If no one makes anything in America anymore, than
those service sector jobs disappear also.
I spend about two-thirds of my time in Congress studying and working
on manufacturing issues, from raw materials and minerals all the way
through export controls. In fact, earlier today, I co-hosted a
bipartisan briefing with administrative officials on its export control
reform initiative.
I have been in over 500 factories all over the world in China, Japan,
Europe, and the United States. I've studied manufacturing schooling and
the educational process in Switzerland and how important manufacturing
is to that tiny country.
Every few years the manufacturing sector in the United States
experiences a crisis. In response, various administrations have
prepared strategy reports on how to best respond. The last report
[[Page H5834]]
was issued in 2004. This report was extremely helpful in identifying
and reforming regulations that were unduly burdensome on the
manufacturing sector that produced little or no public benefit.
The bill before us today will institutionalize this process by
requiring a national manufacturing report so that we can keep the focus
of our government on how to best help the strongest economic engine of
our economy.
My office spent years developing a chart to identify the numerous
Federal programs and agencies that support manufacturing. It is still
difficult to have a central focal point to know who is manufacturing
and who is doing research in a particular area. For example, if
somebody wants to do research on machining titanium, there is no
central portal through which that person can go to determine exactly
what programs there are and who is doing the research. Fundamentally,
it's very important to have this report. Why? Because Americans need to
know the importance of manufacturing.
If we don't have manufacturing, agriculture, and mining in this
country, we become a Third World nation. If we can't make things with
our hands, then we become hindered in maintaining our status as a world
leader.
I would call upon the House to vote affirmatively for this great
bill, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2012, H.R.
5865.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 6 minutes to the
author of this bill, Mr. Lipinski from the great State of Illinois, who
has worked very hard on this bill not only in this Congress but in the
previous bill as well.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Thank you, Ranking Member Butterfield, for yielding and
for your support on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5865, the
American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act, a bipartisan bill that I
introduced to boost American manufacturing.
This bill represents what the American people want us to be doing,
working together in a bipartisan manner to advance policies that
promote the creation of good-paying jobs for middle class Americans.
I want to thank Representative Kinzinger for being willing to work
with me across the aisle to bring this bill to the floor. I also want
to thank Chairwoman Bono Mack as well as Representative Pompeo for
their work on this bill. Mr. Manzullo was just on the floor. I want to
thank him for the work he's done to advance manufacturing, the work
we've done together in the 8 years that I've been in the Congress with
him.
In addition, I want to thank Democratic Whip Hoyer for his steadfast
advocacy of Make It in America policies.
Manufacturing is a linchpin of our Nation's economy. It provides the
American middle class with a source of quality jobs making everything
from the goods we rely on for everyday needs, to the equipment that we
need for national security.
But in the first decade of the century, American manufacturing took a
hard hit. Almost one-third of American manufacturing jobs disappeared.
After 110 years as the world's top manufacturing Nation, America got
knocked off its perch by China.
I have seen the devastation in my district and across northeastern
Illinois. And I get frustrated, just like countless other Americans do,
when I go to the store and I cannot find the words ``made in the
U.S.A.'' on any product.
Some say this is inevitable but it does not have to be. While we have
been seeing signs of a resurgent American manufacturing sector, with
jobs increasing by nearly half a million in the past few years, we
still have a long way to go.
America relies on the entrepreneurial spirit of private enterprise.
There is no doubt there would be no American manufacturing base without
the innovators and the risk takers. The great growth in American
manufacturing in the 20th century would have been impossible without
the hard work of the middle class.
But it is also clear that the government interacts with and affects
manufacturing in countless ways. From tax and trade, to regulation, to
research, education, and workforce development, government policies
have a significant effect on our manufacturers.
That is why we need a comprehensive, coordinated strategy promoting
American manufacturing. While many other countries--China, India,
Germany, to name a few--have developed manufacturing strategies, the
United States manufacturing policy is uncoordinated and largely ad hoc.
If we want American manufacturing to compete and succeed in a global
economy, it is vital that we develop a strategy to coordinate our
policies that impact manufacturers. And that is exactly what this bill
does.
Based on the Quadrennial Defense Review, the Pentagon's policy
planning process, this bill proposes that every 4 years we convene a
group of manufacturing experts from the private and the public sectors.
This group, assembled from appointments made by congressional leaders
and the President, will analyze domestic and global economics and
propose recommendations to Congress, the President, States, and
industry, to pursue to make all the types of American manufacturing
more competitive.
At the end of the day, this bill is about setting aside politics and
implementing policies that will create an environment conducive to the
flourishing of American manufacturing, which is vital for middle class
American jobs and is vital for our national security.
{time} 1750
If we continue to muddle through without a coordinated plan,
government will still be impacting manufacturing, but in an
uncoordinated, often inefficient, and sometimes wasteful manner.
After a couple of tough decades, I still have a number of small and
medium-size manufacturers in my district in northeastern Illinois. One
of these is Atlas Tool & Die of Lyons, Illinois, a 94-year-old family-
owned business. The director of development for the company, Zach
Mottl, said this about H.R. 5865:
As a business owner, I know planning is critical. When an
organization doesn't operate with a plan, what occurs is a plan to
fail. Right now, the United States is operating without a manufacturing
strategy in a world where other countries are intensely focused on
helping their manufacturers to compete. The American Manufacturing
Competitiveness Act will bring all sides and stakeholders together to
forge a strategy with broad support and the momentum needed to produce
action.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to come together today and help
start forging this strategy by passing H.R. 5865, and we can all look
forward to proudly seeing the ``Made in the USA'' label on more shelves
and in more showrooms.
Mrs. BONO MACK. I reserve the balance of my time at this point. I
have no further speakers.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. I have no additional speakers, Mr. Speaker;
therefore, I will ask my colleagues to join with us in passing this
good legislation.
With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I just want to begin by thanking Mr.
Lipinski for crossing the center aisle and coming to our side to offer
his legislation and to work with us early on in the year, to stress to
us how important it was for him. And I thank him for his willingness to
work with us to make sure we could move this bill.
In closing, I just want to make one very important point, that this
is not a top-down, government-knows-best approach to the problems
facing manufacturing today. Instead, we're creating a public-private
partnership that will help to develop a comprehensive, modern
strategy--identifying impediments to manufacturing and providing much
needed recommendations on how to create an environment that will once
again allow American manufacturers to thrive.
While our goal is to produce an important economic blueprint for the
future of America, these recommendations are not binding on Congress.
H.R. 5865 will expand upon previous studies and reports on
manufacturing by requiring a comprehensive analysis of factors
affecting manufacturing. Those would include: the identification of
redundant or ineffective government programs related to manufacturing;
trade policy; energy policy; taxation; and the
[[Page H5835]]
impact of Federal regulations on manufacturing and job creation.
This legislation appropriately gives the Manufacturing Board the
flexibility it needs to do its job efficiently and expeditiously. The
Board is not required to reinvent the wheel and restudy every single
subject already examined by other government agencies and
nongovernmental bodies, but the Board is specifically directed to
consult with other Federal entities to avoid duplication of efforts. In
the end, the Board will develop and publish for public comment a draft
manufacturing strategy based on its analysis and any other information
the Board determines is appropriate. This strategy will include both
short-term and long-term goals for improving competitiveness of U.S.
manufacturing, as well as recommendations for action.
Mr. Speaker, considering the importance of manufacturing in the
American economy and to the future of our Nation, I strongly urge the
adoption of H.R. 5865, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Long). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono Mack) that the
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5865, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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