Statement from U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker on New Bill to Strengthen American Manufacturing

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker commended U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown and Roy Blunt and U.S. Representatives Joe Kennedy and Tom Reed for introducing the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2013, which would establish a Network for Manufacturing Innovation to position the U.S. as a world leader in advanced manufacturing.

“I applaud Senators Brown and Blunt and Representatives Reed and Kennedy for their bipartisan legislation. NNMI has the potential to accelerate U.S. manufacturing innovation by harnessing the collective power of our world-class companies and universities. This is an important first step, and I look forward to working with Congress to see this important initiative across the finish line.”

For the last two years, President Obama has proposed creating a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI). NNMI would consist of institutes run by universities and industry focused on accelerating new technology into the market and training a new generation of workers, thereby strengthening U.S. manufacturers’ competitiveness and boosting the economy. The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the interagency Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office(AMNPO) that will manage the NNMI program. Since the proposal was announced, the administration has launched a pilot manufacturing institute and initiated competitions for three more pilot institutes. AMNPO also recently issued a report describing the proposed design for the future NNMI. More information on these efforts can be found at www.manufacturing.gov.