Hearing of the House Small Business Committee - Made in the USA: Stories of American Manufacturers
Hearing
Good afternoon. The hearing will come to order.
In recognition of National Small Business Week, today we will hear from small
manufacturers around the nation who have achieved success while producing goods here in America. I would like to welcome all of the witnesses here today and thank them for taking time away from running their businesses to offer us their insight.
We have all heard about the decades-long decline of the manufacturing industry in
America. Since the late 1970s, a combination of high U.S. wages and cheaper overseas
production costs have led to a loss of nearly 11 million manufacturing jobs in the U.S., with nearly 2 million of those occurring during the recent recession. In an attempt to cut costs, many companies that previously made goods domestically moved their production to China and other nations with less expensive labor.
Now, after years of industry decline, a shift is taking place. In April 2010, the U.S. began
adding manufacturing jobs for the first time in years. High consumer demand for Made in USA products, rising foreign wages and the increased realization by American entrepreneurs of hidden overseas production costs has led to more manufacturers producing goods and creating jobs at home. In the past three years, the industry has added a half-million jobs to the U.S. economy.
Today, we are fortunate to have with us a group of accomplished American
manufacturing leaders that have been doing business in the U.S. for years. Some started their business at the kitchen table; others took the helm of local manufacturing mainstays. Whether it is the story of a paint producer in New York or an agricultural equipment maker in Kansas, common traits of success are evident.
I look forward to learning from our witnesses today about the things that have led to their
accomplishments, as well as the challenges they see ahead. Thank you again for making the trip here to share your stories with us.
I now recognize the Ranking Member for her opening statement.
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