Sen. Coons, Rep. Morelle call for 5-year boost to domestic manufacturing funding

Press Release

Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, and Minority Leader McCarthy:

Thank you for your leadership as we work together to strengthen the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. As the House and Senate collaborate on conferencing the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) and the America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, PreEminence in Technology, and Economic Strength Act (America COMPETES) Act, we, the undersigned, bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators urge you to ensure that the Manufacturing USA Program, which is addressed by both bills, is authorized to receive at least $1.2 billion in funding over the next five years.

Manufacturing USA Institutes are public-private partnerships that receive federal funding from the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Commerce. Across the country, the 16 Manufacturing USA institutes bring together private, public, nonprofit, and academic organizations to develop and commercialize advanced manufacturing technologies. The innovations these institutes support create high-wage jobs, reduce trade deficits, and ensure the United States remains a global leader in manufacturing.

The institutes empower private sector manufacturers to produce new products quickly and costefficiently by leveraging the thriving Manufacturing USA network to develop new industrial processes. The network has attracted over $2 billion in private sector support, exceeding federal investment by more than 150%. This public-private cooperation on a large scale offers a lowcost, high-impact strategy to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and equip a 21st century workforce.

The Manufacturing USA network continues to expand, touching nearly every state. More than 2,100 organizations have partnered with the program, including community colleges, major research universities, and economic development entities. These partnerships have supported more than 1,600 major applied research and development projects and helped train more than 172,000 workers in advanced manufacturing.

The Manufacturing USA Program advances the shared objectives of USICA and America COMPETES: to bolster U.S. competitiveness, create good jobs, and strengthen our supply chains. We have before us an opportunity to secure the network's continued success and growth: with $1.2 billion in funding over the next five years, the network could add as many as 15 new institutes, advancing U.S. leadership in more areas of next-generation manufacturing. We appreciate your consideration of our request and look forward to working together to ensure that this bipartisan bill is signed into law for the benefit of our communities and our country.