[CTC_TRADE] EPI & Robert Scott | The China Trade Toll

[Andrew Gussert]

The attached letter from 11 Senators requests that the Whitehouse give their
plan on a "A Framework for Revitalizing American Manufacturing.", including
additional information about how the Administration is putting strategies to
work, including specific goals, detailed initiatives supporting those goals,
and performance measures to help ensure continuous progress.

 

 

March 1, 2010

 

The President

The White House

Washington, D.C. 20500

 

Dear Mr. President,

 

The global economic crisis poses new challenges to American manufacturing.
The U.S.

manufacturing sector is the world's largest, but it will not remain so
unless our nation

acts, and acts now, to reverse its decline. The loss of manufacturing plants
and jobs has

stifled economic opportunity for middle class families and compromised our
ability to

compete in the 21st century economy. Indeed, for the last several decades,

administrations have passed up critical opportunities to formulate a
rational and

comprehensive manufacturing policy. Continued apathy will undermine our
country's

ability to achieve energy independence and place our military readiness at
risk.

 

We are convinced that the recovery and long-term health of our economy
depend on a

strong, competitive U.S. industrial manufacturing base. Therefore we
appreciate your

release late last year of "A Framework for Revitalizing American
Manufacturing." The

framework represents a thoughtful approach to recognizing manufacturing's
importance

to the middle class, our energy security, and our national defense.

 

In particular, we agree with many of the basic strategies for reinvigorating
U.S.

manufacturing as outlined in Section III of the framework. Developing a
highly skilled

and productive workforce, investing in new and emerging technologies,
ensuring stable

capital markets, providing support for communities in transition,
strengthening

infrastructure, improving market access for U.S. exports, and fostering
entrepreneurial

talent are all significant elements of an integrated policy strategy.

 

Without an adequate commitment of resources and coordination among every
executive

branch department, we are afraid that the tenets of this framework may not
be

appropriately fulfilled. We would therefore respectfully request additional
information

about how the Administration is putting these strategies to work, including
specific goals,

detailed initiatives supporting those goals, and performance measures to
help ensure

continuous progress.

 

We recognize that moving forward promptly to support manufacturing companies
and

workers can speed America's recovery. Historically, the manufacturing sector
has led the

American economy out of recession. For instance, the auto industry
contributed

significantly to the economic recovery following the recession of the early
1980s. Today

we need a multi-industry strategy to propel job and economic growth, one
that deploys

federal resources and private-public partnerships to promote emerging
manufacturing

opportunities.

 

Today, nothing is more imperative than putting Americans back to work. We
believe it

will take a coordinated effort to assist America's entrepreneurs,
innovators, and workers

by advancing policies that enhance U.S. manufacturing, increase U.S.
competitiveness

and export opportunities, and protect the quality of life for all Americans.

We look forward to working with you to promote U.S. manufacturing on behalf
of

working families and the manufacturers who employ them, and in support of
our nation's

continued global leadership.

 

Sincerely,

 

Sherrod Brown 

Lindsey Graham 

Christopher J. Dodd

Olympia J. Snowe 

Debbie Stabenow 

Thad Cochran

Jack Reed 

Carl Levin 

Robert P. Casey

Jeff Bingaman 

Sheldon Whitehouse

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