America COMPETES Act includes legislation introduced and co-led by Pappas to strengthen ‘Made in America’ provisions, support small manufacturers and rural businesses
Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) helped pass the America COMPETES Act, legislation to make transformational new investments in research, innovation and American manufacturing that will ensure that America can outcompete any nation in the world, now and for decades to come. The package will accelerate U.S. production of critical semiconductor chips, strengthen the supply chain to make more goods in America, increase our research capacity to lead the technologies of the future, and advance our global competitiveness, while supporting strong labor standards and human rights.
"It's of the utmost importance for our economic and national security interests that we make more things here in America," said Congressman Chris Pappas." The America COMPETES Act will shore up our supply chains, spur billions of investment in domestic semiconductor production which will help bring down inflation, and support New Hampshire's manufacturing industry by strengthening ‘Made in America' provisions. This bill is a win for workers and companies that manufacture their products here in the United States, and I hope that we can quickly come together with the Senate to finalize this legislation and get this done."
Backround:
Pappas offered four amendments to the package, all of which passed the House and were included in the final bill.
Pappas helped shape the legislation with the following amendments:
- An amendment requiring DHS to prioritize purchasing uniforms and related gear from American small businesses that manufacture, produce, or assemble goods, and to only purchase items from American small businesses that serve as a pass-through to supply foreign manufactured goods when domestic manufacturing does not meet all the criteria identified in the bill. This amendment would amend the provisions of the America COMPETES Act that enact the Homeland Procurement Reform Act (HOPR) to ensure that domestic small businesses and manufacturers are prioritized for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) procurement contracts. Pappas has helped to introduce this legislation in each of his two terms in Congress.
- An amendment to establish the Rural Export Center to assist rural businesses seeking to export their products. This amendment enacts legislation introduced by Congressman Pappas in September 2021, the bipartisan Promoting Rural Exports Act of 2021.
- An amendment directing the National and Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish and regularly update a publicly available website that includes: hyperlinks to all grants administered by NOAA and hyperlinks to other federal agencies that offer similar grants to assist state, tribal, and local governments with resiliency, adaptation, and mitigation of climate change and sea level rise; and for each such grant, the contact information for an individual who can offer assistance to such governments. This amendment enacts legislation introduced by Congressman Pappas in May 2021, the bipartisan Increasing Community Access to Resiliency Grants Act.
- An amendment encouraging greater collaboration in rural and remote areas with teachers and scientists. This amendment would ensure rural institutions, like many across New Hampshire, are included in efforts to broaden participation in Department of Energy research and programs which will expand access to STEM studies for students, and help to grow the STEM workforce.
- An amendment offered by Rep. Crenshaw (R-TX) requiring the Department of State to provide an annual briefing to Congress on China's progress and efforts to meet emission goals and commitments.
- An amendment offered by Rep. Garamendi (D-CA) and Rep. Johnson (R-SD) adding H.R. 4996, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act.
- An amendment offered by Rep. Steel (R-CA) calling on the Chinese Communist Party to match emission cutting targets established by the United States.
- An amendment offered by Rep. Levin (D-MI) and Rep. Gonzalez (R-OH) to broaden Pell Grant eligibility to high-quality short-term skills and job training programs and establish a secure and privacy-protected data system that contains information about postsecondary student academic and economic outcomes.
- An amendment offered by Rep. Bonamici (D-OR) adding H.R. 3748, the bipartisan BLUE GLOBE Act, which would improve our understanding of oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts by increasing domestic and international coordination, helping to develop innovative technologies to protect our waterways, and addressing related workforce shortages. Pappas helped to introduce the BLUE GLOBE Act in June 2021.
Original source can be found here.
