Manufacturing in America Report

Last Updated 09/26/06

Total Implemented = 36

Total In Progress = 21

Recommendations

Create an Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing and Services to serve as chief advocate for the manufacturing sector and implement recommendations

Create an Office of Industry Analysis to assess the cost competitiveness of American industry and evaluate the impact of domestic and international economic policy on U.S. competitiveness

Establish the Manufacturing Council to foster coordination and communication among U.S. Industry and the Federal Government

Establish an interagency working group on manufacturing to coordinate the implementation of recommendations and the development of new initiatives

Promote Health Savings Accounts as established in the 2003 Medicare bill

Implement New Technologies, such as bar coding and electronic prescribing, to prevent costly medical errors

Enact Class Action reform

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to lead a comprehensive three-step process to reduce the burden of regulations

Pass the President's Energy Plan

Enact legislation to enable modernization and increased reliability of electricity production & transmission

Enact legislation to facilitate adequate and economical supplies of natural gas

Congress to ensure a future for clean-burning coal and nuclear power

Fund the hydrogen fuel initiative

Review of current R&D programs important to manufacturing to ensure appropriate focus on innovation and productivity-enhancing technologies

Establish a new interagency working group on manufacturing R&D and prioritize future federal support to Advanced Manufacturing Technology

Expand the reach of programs providing technical assistance to standards agencies, national metrology institutes, and regional metrology organizations in the developing world

Coordinate Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) fully with other Department of Commerce programs

Encourage the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs (STTR) to focus on Manufacturing

Explore the establishment of cooperative research programs on manufacturing technologies among national laboratories, universities, the SBIR program, community colleges and state and local technology development associations

Create an interagency federal task force to address the structural economic challenges facing manufacturing communities

Press for the elimination of barriers to trade in financial services in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other trade agreements

Pursue elimination of foreign tariff and non-tariff barriers for exports of U.S. manufactured goods

Aggressively investigate allegations of intellectual property theft

Promote the protection of US intellectual property by expanding cooperative efforts with other countries

Establish an office of Investigations and Compliance within the Department of Commerce

Establish a task force within the Department of Commerce Import Administration to investigate allegations of foreign unfair trade practices

Establish an office to coordinate China and non-market economy investigations

Consolidate export functions under a new Assistant Secretary for Trade Promotion

Accelerate the implementation of the President's National Export Strategy

Implement a joint public-private global supply chain initiative to promote access by America's Small and Medium sized manufacturers

Promote the global recognition and use of U.S. technical standards

Review the existing structure of the U.S. foreign trade zone program

Conduct a Treasury study of tax simplification focusing on manufacturing, including depreciation, the corporate alternative minimum tax

Enact legislation on pension reform including improving

Pass legislation creating a coordinated high schools and technical education improvement program

Lead a Benchmark Analysis to Measure Progress toward Achieving the President's Goal

Conduct Regulatory Impact Analysis of New Rules (or Reduce the Costs of Regulation and Legislation)