WASHINGTON - Legislation that would create new – and strengthen existing – programs that support U.S. manufacturing sector research, development and innovation efforts has been reintroduced by Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers.
The proposal, the Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act (H.R. 255), would provide technical extension services to small- and medium-sized manufacturers, said Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids. The bill is essentially identical to legislation he introduced in the 108th and 109th Congresses. The legislation twice stalled in the Senate after being approved by the full House of Representatives in July 2004 and September 2005.
“The U.S. manufacturing sector, which is a cornerstone of the American economy, remains the target of competition from abroad,” Ehlers said. “This bill will help address long-term problems facing our nation’s manufacturers by coordinating existing federal manufacturing programs, creating a new program to revive manufacturing innovation through collaborative research and development, and broadening and strengthening manufacturing extension programs.”
Ehlers said the bill will provide a structure for better coordination between federal manufacturing R&D programs; strengthen the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program; establish a collaborative grants program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to support innovation; and create a fellowship program at NIST to cultivate greater U.S. expertise in the manufacturing sciences.
The legislation also would reauthorize the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program with a total of $375 million of funding over three years, with a mechanism for review of MEP centers. The bill also creates an additional collaborative grant program to encourage partnerships among industry, educational institutions and local organizations on manufacturing-related projects. “Globalization is in full swing,” Ehlers said. “It is incumbent upon this Congress to provide a coherent federal response to the changes that are underway in manufacturing, and to support the technological innovation that is fundamental to retaining our manufacturing strength. This bill provides a mechanism for that crucial response and I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill in the 110th Congress.” |