Manufacturers urge House to support America COMPETES Act

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is urging the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (H.R. 5116), saying its programs are “working to strengthen innovation in the U.S. manufacturing sector and to build a stronger workforce.”

“Our economic future relies more than ever on our ability to innovate, and reauthorizing the COMPETES Act will help manufacturers prosper in a globally integrated and highly competitive marketplace,” NAM executive vice president Jay Timmons wrote in a letter May 11 to all House members.

Timmons cited the following key programs of significant interest to manufacturers and U.S. competitiveness:

• Federal funding for basic research and development (R&D);
• The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), which helps thousands of small and medium manufacturers increase their productivity and technological capabilities;
• Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education grants that will help increase the number and quality of students receiving degrees in areas of importance to manufacturing competitiveness; and
• The Advanced Research Projects Administration for Energy (ARPA-E), an agency pursuing high-risk, high-reward energy technology development.

The NAM has indicated that all votes related to H.R. 5116, including procedural motions, may be considered for designation as Key Manufacturing Votes in the 111th Congress. View the NAM Key Vote letter at www.nam.org.

The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation’s largest industrial trade association, representing manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing has a presence in every single congressional district providing good, high-paying jobs. For more information, visit www.nam.org.