Congressman Daniel Lipinski's bipartisan National Manufacturing Strategy Act H.R. 4692 overwhelmingly passed the house today with a vote of 379 to 38. Rep. Lipinski (IL-03) said in a statement:

"Today’s vote shows that Washington is finally starting to listen to what I have always promoted and America's middle class has long known: we must take action to support domestic manufacturing and end the outsourcing of American jobs.  A strong manufacturing sector is critical to leading America out of recession. Over the last decade, we have lost one-third of all domestic manufacturing jobs. Contrary to what some seem to believe, these job losses were not inevitable, and I do not accept the notion that there is nothing we can do."

The bill "requires the President to establish a Manufacturing Strategy Board within the Commerce Department that includes federal officials, two state Governors from different parties, and nine private-sector leaders and stakeholders from the manufacturing industry."  Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) will introduce H.R. 4692 to the Senate. The passage of the bill was a wise move considering the Alliance for American Manufacturing recently released a poll that has spread like wildfire across the Hill, and the country.  The poll indicates that Americans are unsettled by the loss of manufacturing and manufacturing jobs, and while a majority do not see the United States as the number one economy, voters want to get back on top.  Several organizations, including AAM, have endorsed the bill.  AAM Executive Director Scott Paul said in a statement:

"We commend Congressman Lipinski for his authorship of H.R. 4692. There is no question that America needs a manufacturing strategy to revitalize the sector that drives the rest of the economy. The case for a permanent capacity for strategic planning on our manufacturing base, evolving and innovating to make use of our workers’ skills and the latest technology as well as to respond to global trends, could not be stronger."

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