National Manufacturing Strategy Act of 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I am pleased to follow my friend, Congressman Manzullo, in speaking about the importance of making it in America. Making it in America is not just about manufacturing in America, it's about succeeding in America, making sure that America continues to be the vibrant engine of our economy and the international economy, making things not only for Americans, but for all the world. And I thank Mr. Manzullo for his comments.

Americans have always looked to the manufacturing sector as a source of economic vitality and as a source of pride. I want to thank my friend from Illinois (Mr. Rush), who has been such an outstanding leader in this Congress on behalf of growing our economy, jobs for Americans, good pay and good benefits for all Americans.

America has long prided itself on being a country that makes things. And Democrats, and I know my Republican friends, are committed to making sure that is true in the future. America agrees on the importance of manufacturing to our economy. You just ask them and they will tell you we need to make it in America. Fifty-seven percent of Americans believe it is one of the most important factors in our economic strength, and 85 percent of Americans believe that creating manufacturing jobs is important to our economic recovery. We need to make it in America.

It's true that manufacturing has taken a severe hit in this recession. In fact, it's been taking hits for quite some time, particularly under the previous administration. Over the past decade, America lost one-third of its manufacturing jobs. These three bills are designed to turn that status around.

If we want American manufacturing to be strong again, if we want to emerge from these hard times with a more competitive, job-creating economy, we need to get serious about our manufacturing strategy. That is the impulse behind the Democrats' Making it in America agenda: creating incentives for investments in industry, strengthening manufacturing infrastructure and innovation, strengthening our workforce, and helping to level the playing field for American companies. That's what our focus is going to be. That's what Mr. Manzullo was talking about.

So far, the Make it in America agenda has resulted in the passage of the U.S. Manufacturing Enhancement Act. It passed the House just a few days ago on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, passed the Senate by unanimous consent, and is at the White House. This helps American companies get the affordable materials they need. And it's passed the Senate and is on the way to becoming law, as I said.

The House has also passed the SECTORS Act, which invests in 21st-century workforce training, to make sure that our people have the skills to make it in America. Bills like these build on the success we have already in rallying America's manufacturing sector under the Obama administration. Since the beginning of the year, our private sector has actually created 136,000 new manufacturing jobs.

This bill, the National Manufacturing Strategy Act, can contribute to that job creation. It directs the President to develop a national manufacturing strategy every 4 years, with input from the private sector, from manufacturing leaders, Federal officials, and State governments. They will analyze all of the factors affecting American manufacturing, from financing to trade barriers, and recommend actions that industry and Federal and State and local governments can take to boost manufacturing and create good-paying jobs.

I spoke about this the other day at the Center for American Progress. And a representative of the National Association of Manufacturers, Mr. Speaker, stood and congratulated us on this effort. And I told her that we were looking to work with the National Association of Manufacturers and others to build manufacturing capacity and to create these good-paying jobs with good benefits and making America work better.

The bill's sponsor, Congressman Lipinski, from the heartland of America, your State, Mr. Rush, Illinois, points out that similar national strategies are widespread. China, India, the UK, Brazil, Canada, and Germany all have manufacturing strategies; and we need one if we want to stay competitive with them.

And as has been true in the past, the ``Made in America'' label will be sought and admired throughout the world. This bill is an important way to take our industries' struggles seriously and begin responding to them constructively.

I urge my colleagues to pass this bill and the two that will follow to make America a more competitive, growing economy. Make it in America, an agenda that the House will consider this week and the 4 weeks when we return from our break: the Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act, which will ensure that clean energy technology firms have the information and assistance they need to stay competitive; and the End the Trade Deficit Act, all on the agenda, sponsored by Congresswoman Matsui, which will develop strategies to combat the trade deficit. Through steps like these we can begin to restore America's pride in its manufacturing and in the solid jobs it creates for middle class families.

Make it in America is not simply a slogan; it is a commitment, a commitment to reestablish a dynamic engine for job creation. Make it in America is a commitment to ensuring that America's future is one in which America competes successfully and profitably in the new global marketplace. Make it in America is a psychology of excellence, a level playing field in trade relations, and the creation of an environment that facilitates manufacturing projects, expansion, and the sale of American products to the world.

America's innovative abilities and the talent and work ethic of our workers have historically led our country to extraordinary economic growth and success. The Make it in America agenda is a commitment, a commitment to making that success not only a proud part of our history, but a reality for our future. We're going to make it in America, and we're going to make it in America.

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