[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13097]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP

  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, since 2001 America has lost 2.5 million 
manufacturing jobs, eroding an industry that was once the pride of the 
United States. Manufacturing represents the cornerstone of our economy 
and the best in American values. It creates the cars we drive to work, 
the computers our children use to learn, and the household appliances 
we use each day. I rise today to talk about the Manufacturing Extension 
Partnership, MEP, one of the few Federal programs that has provided 
tangible assistance to the manufacturing sector, keeping companies in 
business and retaining jobs.
  MEP is a public-private partnership working with small and medium 
sized manufacturers, helping them streamline operations, integrate new 
technologies, shorten production times, and lower costs. MEP clients 
surveyed in fiscal year 2004 reported 43,600 jobs created or retained 
and $1.889 billion in additional sales.
  In Wisconsin, where manufacturing employs 512,000 people and 
contributes 22 percent of the State's gross product, MEP has assisted 
1,700 small and medium sized manufacturers to improve their 
productivity and profitability. One example is the Jor-Mac Company, a 
metal fabrication company in Grafton, WI, which was beset by fierce 
Chinese competitors. After working with MEP, Jor-Mac improved its 
production efficiency, increasing sales by $5 million.
  Since its inception in 1988, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership 
has been an invaluable resource to manufacturers. Without strong 
Federal support, MEP will be unable to maintain its mission of serving 
America's small manufacturers. At a time when we want to increase 
economic activity, expand U.S. exports, and strengthen the 
manufacturing base of our Nation, MEP is a fiscally sound investment of 
Federal resources.

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