It appears that someone has been flipping through the Alliance for American Manufacturing's (AAM) playbook. After years of AAM pushing for a national manufacturing strategy, two lawmakers from Iowa are taking up the cause.

On Friday, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) disclosed some details of a new bill, the 'Rebuild American Manufacturing Act,' which would require the president to create and send to congress, a national manufacturing strategy every two years.

Harkin, quoted by George Ford in The Cedar Rapids Gazette said:

You might say ‘as manufacturing goes, so goes the economy.’ As manufacturing employment has fallen, we’ve seen wages stagnate, our trade deficit increase, unionization rates plummet and less domestic innovation.

In the House of Represenratives, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) introduced an identical bill.

Learn more about the legislation.

Image of Murray Iron Works in Clinton, IA by Flickr user Loco Steve, used following Creative Commons guidelines.