The Future Caucus and the American Manufacturing Leadership Act

On July 23, 2019, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2397, the American Manufacturing Leadership Act. This legislation was authored by Congressional Future Caucus (CFC) co-chair Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI-11) and was cosponsored by fellow Future Caucus members from both sides of the aisle, including: Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH-16), Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA-4), and former Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA-25). The legislation as passed by the House would expand and extend through 2024 the Manufacturing USA grant program, a grant program run through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for advanced manufacturing that will help create high-skilled jobs and further American competitiveness.

The Manufacturing USA program is a public-private partnership in the form of a network of manufacturing institutes around the country focused on promoting American global leadership in high tech manufacturing. One of the key goals of the American Manufacturing Leadership Act is to strengthen the role of these stakeholders in advanced manufacturing workforce development and ensure that small and medium sized businesses are included in, and drivers of progress. Additionally, the legislation allows for increased collaboration between NIST and other federal agencies, including the Department of Commerce and the Department of Energy. 

The bill encourages the Manufacturing USA program office at NIST to develop pilot programs and disseminate best practices in education and workforce training. According to a cost estimate by the Congressional Budget Office, the changes in the bill would increase spending on these manufacturing programs by $218 million from FY2020 to FY2024, spread across outlays to NIST, the Department of Energy, and the Economic Development Administration. This increased funding would go to grants and appropriations for research and development in the advanced manufacturing sector across a number of different regions and departments, furthering advanced manufacturing capabilities and bolstering high-skilled workforce development. 

In a press release about the passage of the bill, Rep. Stevens maintained that “this bill will ensure that the Manufacturing USA program can continue to contribute to the growth of our domestic advanced manufacturing industry and an advanced manufacturing workforce to fill the high-skill jobs of the future.” Stevens also cited the bipartisan nature of the bill as a reason for celebration, highlighting further the importance of post-partisan legislation that members of the CFC work on and advocate for. Reps. Gonzalez and Kennedy both praised the passage of the legislation by applauding the focus on workforce development and innovation. Workforce development and the future of work are priority issues for millennials, and the American Manufacturing Leadership Act is a great example of how young lawmakers are focusing on that future with post-partisan legislation.