Sens. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) recently introduced the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2013 with a goal of once again positioning the United States as the global leader in advanced manufacturing.
The bill, which has companion legislation in the House, would leverage federal resources with non-governmental know-how in a wide range of manufacturing sectors that people are likely to rely on in the future. The legislation would bring together industry, institutions of higher learning, federal agencies and all levels of government to accelerate manufacturing innovation in technologies with commercial applications.
“Missouri’s universities, research institutions, suppliers, manufacturers and corporations are ideally situated to propel us forward as we take the next steps in the development of advanced manufacturing products,” Blunt said. “This bipartisan bill will create an important network of partnerships to bolster private sector job creation nationwide.”
The bill has attracted support from high-profile organizations throughout the country, including the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the United Auto Workers and the Association of American Universities.
Employers and education leaders in Missouri hailed Blunt’s leadership on this issue.
“The Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act will help us to build on the work we are already doing with local universities and community colleges to ensure that we are as competitive internationally and create as many high-paying manufacturing jobs as possible,” Don Nissanka, the CEO of Exergonix, said. Exergonix is a manufacturer of energy storage systems focused on building the Missouri Innovation Campus in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.