Manufacturing Jobs for America Kicks Off

U.S. senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) will kick off the “Manufacturing Jobs for America” (MJA) campaign at an event in Washington, D.C., hosted by Third Way.

The MJA campaign began last Congress, when Senator Coons led a coalition of 27 senators to introduce 36 manufacturing bills, half of which were strongly bipartisan. Eight of those 36 bills were enacted into law, a startling success rate given Congress’gridlock and bitter partisanship.

In the new Congress, senators Coons and Baldwin will help re-introduce more than a dozen of those bills along with new legislation to support American manufacturing under the MJA banner.

Read more about the MJA campaign, including information about MJA bills at www.coons.senate.gov/manufacturing

According to the National Association of Manufacturers, workers in manufacturing jobs earn 24 percent more in annual pay and benefits than the average worker in other industries. Every new manufacturing job we create adds another 1.6 jobs to the local service economy, and for every dollar in manufacturing sales, another $1.34 is added to the economy.

“If Republicans and Democrats are serious about getting things done and passing legislation to boost our economy, there are more than a dozen manufacturing bills we can pass right now that will put Americans back to work,” said Senator Coons. “We saw last Congress that manufacturing isn’t a partisan issue – it’s about supporting good jobs in communities across the country.  That’s why we’ll be working with members of both parties, from states all across the country, to pass more MJA bills this Congress.”

“For decades in Wisconsin, we’ve worked to make things: paper, engines, tools, and ships. These manufacturing jobs created shared prosperity for generations and strengthened the economic security of the middle class,” said Senator Baldwin. “That’s why it’s so important that we drive the Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative forward and focus on rebuilding a Made in America manufacturing economy for all. I’m proud to join in today’s event with Senator Coons and the Third Way to highlight the need for bipartisan action on this effort.”

“The manufacturing sector is one of America’s main drivers of economic growth and part of America’s economic success story post-recession,” said Jim Kessler, Third Way senior vice president for policy. “But there is so much more to do. The Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative will create jobs, lay the foundation for middle class prosperity, and grow the economy. When American manufacturing is humming, the rest of the U.S. economy stays strong. Each of these ideas deserves serious bipartisan consideration.”

The MJA campaign has been endorsed by the following organizations:
National Association of Manufacturers, AFL-CIO, Alliance for American Manufacturing, American Automotive Policy Council, American Small Manufacturers Coalition, Association for Manufacturing Technology, Bloom Energy, BlueGreen Alliance, Dow, DuPont, Ford Motor Company, General Electric, Industrial Division of the Communication Workers of America, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, National Association of Development Organizations, National Skills Coalition, One Voice - National Tool & Machining Association, Precision Metalforming Association, Progressive Policy Institute, STEM Education Coalition, Third Way, United Autoworkers, and United Steelworkers

MJA bills already enacted into law:
* American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act (Kirk, Coons).  This provision amends the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act to create a national manufacturing strategy.  
* Inapplicability of Requirement to Review and Justify Certain Contracts (Coons, Blunt). This is a measure to clarify conflicting guidance for small businesses from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Department of Defense, and was added to the FY14 National Defense Authorization Act. Occasionally, conflicting rules from each agency both apply to a small business contracting with the federal government. The provision makes it easier for small businesses to comply with these rules by dictating that when both sets of rules apply to a small business contract, only the SBA rule will be enforced.
* ASC on Amended Return (Coons, Roberts). The IRS has enacted a provision proposed within the Coons-Roberts Innovators Job Creation Act, which allows businesses to claim the Alternative Simplified Credit on amended returns and extend access to valuable R&D tax credits to small businesses and startups.

Provisions from MJA were passed into law as part of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) reauthorization last year:
* Adult Education and Economic Growth Act (Reed, Brown). WIOA includes key portions of this bill, which seeks to increase investment in adult education, expand access to technology and digital literacy skills for adult learners, require better coordination and integration of adult education with state workforce development systems and postsecondary education, and strengthen English and civics education for new Americans.
* America Works Act (Hagan, Donnelly, Heller, Klobuchar, Schumer). WIOA includes provisions from this bill, which seeks to prioritize federal funding for job training programs that offer portable, national and industry-recognized credentials. This reform would promote job-training programs that match the skills of workers with the needs of local employers, thereby training individuals for the jobs that are available in their communities right now.
* On-the-Job Training Act (Shaheen, Cochran).  WIOA includes aspects of this bill to significantly expand opportunities for on-the-job-training. WIOA requires state workforce investment boards to disseminate information identifying on-the-job-training opportunities and boosts incentives for employers to participate in on-the-job-training programs.
* SECTORS Act (Brown, Casey, Collins, Durbin). WIOA includes provisions from this bill to require state and local Workforce Investment Boards to establish sector-based partnerships between employers, educators, and local workforce administrators to train workers for the most in-demand 21st century jobs.
* Community College to Career Fund (Franken, Begich, Durbin, Schatz). WIOA includes aspects of this bill to create partnerships between businesses and schools that facilitate effective job training.

For related articles, news, and equipment reviews, visit our Equipment Zones

Click here for information about Powder & Bulk Solids Canada