[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 30, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S3084]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STRENGTHENING SUPPORT FOR AMERICAN MANUFACTURING ACT

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 290, S. 
2116.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2116) to require the Secretary of Commerce to 
     produce a report that provides recommendations to improve the 
     effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of Department of 
     Commerce programs related to supply chain resilience and 
     manufacturing and industrial innovation, and for other 
     purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Support for 
     American Manufacturing Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
     ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) Covered offices and bureaus.--The term ``covered 
     offices and bureaus'' means offices and bureaus of the 
     Department of Commerce identified under section 3(a)(1).
       (3) Critical supply chain.--The term ``critical supply 
     chain'' means an end-to-end system that converts raw 
     materials into finished products in critical sectors, 
     including in--
       (A) the defense industrial base;
       (B) the public health and biological preparedness 
     industrial base;
       (C) the information and communications technology 
     industrial base;
       (D) the energy sector industrial base;
       (E) the transportation industrial base; and
       (F) agricultural supply chains.
       (4) Critical supply chain resilience.--The term ``critical 
     supply chain resilience'' means mitigating gaps and 
     vulnerabilities in critical supply chains, including by--
       (A) reducing risk of malicious sabotage or external or 
     internal manipulation; and
       (B) improving the ability to withstand supply chain 
     interruptions such as logistical challenges and workforce, 
     materials, equipment, or product shortages.
       (5) Manufacturing and industrial innovation.--The term 
     ``manufacturing and industrial innovation'' means--
       (A) providing assistance, resources, or services to 
     manufacturers or manufacturing workers in the United States;
       (B) offering expertise, improvements, research, and 
     development or other assistance in technological innovations 
     or advanced manufacturing in partnership with or for use by 
     manufacturers in the United States; or
       (C) developing policy that substantially impacts the 
     manufacturing sector in the United States.
       (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Commerce.

     SEC. 3. STUDY RELATING TO MANUFACTURING PROGRAMS OF THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.

       (a) Assessment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall produce a report 
     that--
       (1) identifies offices and bureaus of the Department of 
     Commerce with responsibilities related to--
       (A) critical supply chain resilience; and
       (B) manufacturing and industrial innovation;
       (2) identifies the duties, responsibilities, programs, and 
     expertise relevant to critical supply chain resilience and 
     manufacturing and industrial innovation of each covered 
     office and bureau;
       (3) identifies and assesses the purpose, statutory 
     authority, effectiveness, efficiency, and limitations of each 
     covered office and bureau;
       (4) identifies gaps between offices with duplicative duties 
     responsibilities, programs, and expertise within the 
     Department of Commerce that are implementing activities 
     related to critical supply chain resilience and manufacturing 
     and industrial innovation; and
       (5) provides recommendations to improve the effectiveness, 
     efficiency, and impact of each covered office and bureau, 
     including recommendations to--
       (A) optimize operations within or across covered offices 
     and bureaus;
       (B) improve coordination across covered offices and 
     bureaus; and
       (C) improve coordination with Federal agencies implementing 
     similar activities related to critical supply chain 
     resilience and manufacturing and industrial innovation.
       (b) National Academy of Public Administration.--The 
     Secretary shall contract with the National Academy of Public 
     Administration in producing the report under subsection (a).
       (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
     which the Secretary produces the report under subsection (a), 
     the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress--
       (1) the report produced under subsection (a);
       (2) recommendations for potential legislative action 
     addressing recommendations in the report produced under 
     subsection (a); and
       (3) a response from the Secretary to the recommendations 
     included in the report produced under subsection (a).

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be 
considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The committee-reported amendment, in the nature of a substitute, was 
agreed to.
  The bill (S. 2116), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

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