WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI) today joined Representative David Cicilline (D-RI) in announcing House introduction of the bipartisan, bicameral Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act of 2022. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the legislation in the Senate.
The bill would establish a new program to incentivize public-private partnerships by empowering the Secretary of Commerce to designate consortiums as “manufacturing communities,” which in turn would be eligible for federal financial and technical assistance designed to expand and support domestic manufacturing. The bill would ultimately help strengthen the U.S. manufacturing base and help local businesses cut through bureaucratic red tape to address ongoing pandemic-related supply chain disruptions that continue plaguing local economies.
“Michigan has a rich history of manufacturing, but unfortunately, our manufacturing industries have seen their share of challenges, and the pandemic and supply chain disruptions have only exacerbated these problems,” said Rep. Meijer. “The Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act will provide critical investments to bolster our domestic manufacturing, ensuring that critical manufacturing industries have the resources and workforce to succeed right here in the U.S. I am proud to help lead this bipartisan, bicameral effort to help revitalize our manufacturing both in West Michigan and across the country.”
“Manufacturing is written into Rhode Island’s DNA. Good-paying manufacturing jobs helped build our middle class, and after too many years of seeing these jobs sent overseas, we are reclaiming our identity as a leading center of American manufacturing and innovation,” said Rep. Cicilline. “The Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act, through these new federal funding opportunities, will grow manufacturing jobs, strengthen our local economy, and bring together leaders in business, government, non-profit, and education to develop new strategies for moving our state forward.”
“It’s going to take hard work and smart federal investments to get supply chains back on track after two years of pandemic-related disruptions,” said Sen. Gillibrand. “That’s why I’m introducing the Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act of 2022 – legislation that uses current federal resources to invest in public-private partnerships building the next generation of leaders in manufacturing. By taking a community-based approach, we can invest in innovative groups, schools, and businesses and recruit American workers to help rebuild our national supply chain. This long-term investment will empower businesses to create good-paying manufacturing jobs that fit the needs of individual communities right at home in America.”
The Made in America program is a successor to the “Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership” (IMCP) initiative. The Economic Development Administration operated the IMCP in 2014 and 2015 and successfully enrolled 24 locally-organized public-private consortiums. In addition to Commerce assistance, approved Made in America Manufacturing Communities in the new proposal would have access to technical assistance from other federal agencies, giving them a leg up in accessing a wide array of federal grants.
Specifically, the legislation provides that:
- Eligible consortiums include but are not limited to partnerships between commercial industry, state and local government organizations, and academic or nonprofit organizations to convene community stakeholders and set the foundation for long-term investments in manufacturing communities.
- Eligible consortiums can be designated as a Manufacturing Community for a 5-year period, after which they can apply for re-designation for two additional 2-year periods.
- Approved Manufacturing Communities will receive assistance and investments in equipment or facility upgrades; workforce training, retraining, or recruitment and retention; business incubators; advanced research and commercialization; supply chain development; and assistance for small business concerns.
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