Peters Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Advance U.S. Manufacturing Policy and Competitiveness

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to advance U.S. manufacturing policy and economic competitiveness by establishing a National Manufacturing Advisory Council within the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The National Manufacturing Advisory Council – made up of manufacturers, labor representatives, and academic experts – would serve as a bridge between the manufacturing sector and federal government to improve communication on their needs. The Advisory Council would then advise Congress annually on how to ensure the U.S. remains the top destination globally for investment in manufacturing by providing lawmakers with a national strategic plan – including recommendations to address workforce issues, supply chain interruptions, other logistical and emerging challenges. Peters’ bipartisan National Manufacturing Advisory Council for the 21st Century Act – which he reintroduced with U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Mike Braun (R-IN) – would establish the National Manufacturing Advisory Council as a critical component in developing federal manufacturing policy for the 21^st century.

“The United States must remain a global powerhouse for advanced manufacturing, particularly in Michigan where our workers can outcompete and outwork anyone,” said Senator Peters, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. “This bipartisan bill would ensure our manufacturers, labor groups, and experts have a seat at the table to inform federal manufacturing policy – and help bring attention to emerging challenges and solutions to ensure American manufacturing remains at the forefront for years to come.”

“This initiative, the National Manufacturing Advisory Council Act, is designed to improve the resources and support for our nation’s small and medium-size manufacturers, which are a truly vital driver of our economy. I applaud Senator Peters for his steadfast, unwavering commitment to American manufacturing,” said Ingrid Tighe, President of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, the Michigan representative of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

“We applaud Senator Gary Peters for introducing this bill to improve the federal government’s planning and coordination of efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing,” said Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. “Recent supply chain disruptions have made clear that it is time for the United States to shore up its critical manufacturing capabilities, which will not only better prepare us for the next crisis but also create jobs and boost the economy. This increased coordination between the many programs designed to support our manufacturers and their workers is an important step towards rebuilding our industrial base. We are grateful to Senator Peters for his efforts to bolster American manufacturing.”

“The Association of Equipment Manufacturers applauds Senator Gary Peters and Senator Marco Rubio for their continued leadership on behalf of the manufacturing sector and for introducing legislation that will prioritize a national strategy focused on ensuring American manufacturing policy can rapidly respond to changes in the global marketplace,” said Kip Eideberg, AEM Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations. “Our economic prosperity and national security depend on a strong manufacturing sector, and establishing a National Manufacturing Advisory Council will help unleash innovation and mobilize a comprehensive, coordinated, and competent national effort in support of the manufacturing sector and its workforce.”

“We commend Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) for today introducing legislation to establish a National Manufacturing Advisory Council,” said Ann Wilson, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA). “This council will be a forum for manufacturers and other key stakeholders to provide input to the Department of Commerce (DOC) on important long-range issues such as workforce, supply chain, technology, and defense industrial base. The NMAC legislation would also foster great coordination of federal manufacturing policy in the DOC and across the federal government. When this legislation is enacted, it will be an asset to assist in retaining U.S. competitiveness in critical manufacturing sectors like motor vehicle parts.” 

The Advisory Council would meet at least twice a year and advise the Secretary of Commerce on policies and programs that affect manufacturing, as well as propose solutions to problems relating to manufacturers in the United States. The Advisory Council would be required to:

• IDENTIFY AND ASSESS the impacts of technological developments, production capacity, skill availability, investment patterns, and emerging defense needs on the manufacturing competitiveness of the United States.
• SOLICIT INPUT from the public and private sectors as well as academia on emerging trends in manufacturing.
• PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS to the Secretary regarding global and domestic manufacturing trends threatening the U.S. manufacturing sector, including supply chain interruptions, logistical challenges, and technological changes. The Advisory Council would also advise the Secretary on areas to increase federal attention with respect to manufacturing – as well as matters relating to the U.S. manufacturing workforce such as the impact of burgeoning technology and worker training and education priorities.

Peters’ National Manufacturing Advisory Council for the 21st Century Act is supported by the American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC), American Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), and Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).

Peters has made strengthening domestic manufacturing a top priority. This Congress, Peters reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would strengthen federal efforts to expand domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips. He also helped author and pass into law the CHIPS and Science Act, which includes a provision Peters secured with Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI) to support the domestic production of mature semiconductor technologies and ensure that projects supporting critical manufacturing industries are given priority status, which would include the automotive sector. This is in addition to $50 billion already in the bill to incentivize the production of semiconductors of all kinds in the U.S. – for a total of $52 billion.

The CHIPS and Science Act also included Peters’ bipartisan Investing in Domestic Semiconductor Manufacturing Act, which will ensure federal incentives to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing include U.S. suppliers that produce the materials and manufacturing equipment that enable semiconductor manufacturing – bolstering semiconductors supply chains and Michigan manufacturers. The CHIPS and Science Act also authorized increased funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which has been a priority for Peters. In the most recent government funding bill signed into law, Peters secured an additional $188 million for MEPs like Michigan’s Manufacturing Technology Center – which provide technical assistance to small and medium-sized manufacturers on business operations, advanced technologies, workforce and skills development, cybersecurity and more. Peters also supported and helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which will strengthen domestic manufacturing, onshore our supply chains, combat the climate crisis and create millions of American jobs.

###