Investing in Our Future: Congressional Manufacturing Leaders Support Innovation

American manufacturing and innovation received special attention this week on Capitol Hill. (It’s about time!)

Manufacturing champions Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Reps. Tom Reed (R-NY) and Joe Kennedy (D-MA) have the led the way to create and fund a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation.

The House of Representatives passed the Revitalize American Manufacturing (RAMI) Act on Monday and heads to the Senate next. The Alliance for American Manufacturing fully supports their efforts:

American competitiveness depends on the ability of manufacturers to innovate, adopt, and produce next-generation technologies and products. The pace of economic recovery in the United States has been slow, but steady, as the United States has added 613,000 manufacturing jobs since January 2013. Investing not just in innovation, but in the transfer of new technologies and techniques to U.S. manufacturers and fabricators, is critical to our nation’s long-term economic success. – AAM President Scott Paul

America Makes and other NNMI institutes brought their latest innovations to the hill today to show what manufacturing institutes can accomplish. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker even stopped by:

A robust manufacturing industry is fundamental to our ability to foster innovation and drive broad, sustained economic growth #NNMI

— Penny Pritzker (@PennyPritzker) September 18, 2014

Funding NNMI is a key part of establishing a national manufacturing strategy. Tell Congress and the President to create a national manufacturing strategy to help rebuild America’s middle class.