[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19872]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF THE AMERICAN MANUFACTURING WORKS ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 25, 2003

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce H.R. 
2908, American Manufacturing Works Act of 2003.
  This bill will assist American manufacturing in four significant 
ways. It will establish an Undersecretary of Commerce for Manufacturing 
and Technology heading the Manufacturing and Technology Administration; 
it will create a manufacturing research and implementation program; it 
will provide full funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
program; and it will promote and fund education programs for 
manufacturing technicians.
  Manufacturing is the primary source of productivity growth in our 
country. This sector remains critical to the nation's future prosperity 
and security. Yet U.S.-based manufacturers are facing a crisis today--a 
crisis marked by a steep decline in business investment, a sluggish 
global economy, and increased competition from low wage countries.
  The American manufacturing sector has been hard hit by these forces, 
but neither this Congress nor the Administration has risen to meet this 
challenge in any direct way. The manufacturing sector has experienced 
32 consecutive months of job losses, totaling 2.3 million jobs--fully 
90 percent of the total jobs lost during this period. Although recent 
manufacturing statistics are mildly positive, the current manufacturing 
recovery is the weakest on record. Our manufacturing base remains 
fragile.
  I think the federal government needs to take action now to respond to 
this crisis and to sustain our manufacturing base.
  This is essential because despite significant job losses, 
manufacturing still employs 16.5 million people. Manufacturing 
contributes roughly 17% of GDP and provides 71% of our exports. 
Manufacturing funds 67% of our nation's total R&D investment. In 
addition, manufacturing companies are major customers for information 
and communications technology.
  But if our manufacturing base continues to decline, the effect will 
be devastating not only in terms of individual job losses, but also in 
terms of the ripple effects that will be felt throughout our economy.
  In short, we can't afford to stand idly by and watch our 
manufacturing base disappear.
  The bill I am introducing today isn't based on trade policy or 
philosophical theory. It's based on the practical recommendations of 
manufacturing experts, industry associations, and labor unions--
recommendations that can be acted on now to produce results in a very 
short time.
  First, this bill creates a point of interaction for manufacturers in 
the Department of Commerce. Rather than creating a whole new 
bureaucracy, this bill restructures the Department of Commerce's 
Technology Administration to emphasize manufacturing as well as 
technology issues. This bill creates a Manufacturing and Technology 
Administration, headed by the Undersecretary of Manufacturing and 
Technology. An Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing will aid the 
Undersecretary for Manufacturing and Technology to develop a federal 
manufacturing agenda.
  This legislation also creates a Manufacturing Advisory Board to 
provide guidance to the Undersecretary and to the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology regarding the manufacturing community's needs. 
The Manufacturing Advisory Board will be comprised of industry and 
industry association representatives, federal agencies with 
manufacturing initiatives, manufacturing experts, and labor 
representatives. This group will provide an array of views from the 
complete spectrum of our manufacturing base.
  The bill also authorizes a significant research and implementation 
program for manufacturing. The National Institute of Standards and 
Technology (NIST) is authorized to develop a program along the lines of 
the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that will focus 
on manufacturing technologies. In addition, NIST's Advanced Technology 
Program is authorized to develop a focused program on manufacturing 
technologies.
  The bill also authorizes funding for the Manufacturing Extension 
Partnership (MEP) program. This successful program leverages federal, 
state and private investment to assist small- and medium-sized 
manufacturers across the nation in meeting their increasing challenges.
  One of the most critical elements of our manufacturing base is to 
have a technically trained workforce. To help develop this workforce, 
the bill leverages the National Science Foundation's (NSF) successful 
Advanced Technological Education Program to include preparation of 
students for manufacturing jobs. In addition, the bill authorizes 
funding for the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council to develop 
performance standards to certify job skills for manufacturing workers.
  Mr. Speaker, the time is past for more studies on the challenges 
facing our manufacturing base. That has already been done, and 
recommendations have been made. This bill offers some concrete actions 
to help ensure the future health of our manufacturing base. I urge my 
colleagues to cosponsor this legislation.

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