I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2397 
To amend the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to make 
changes to the implementation of the network for manufacturing innova-
tion, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 30, 2019 
Ms. STEVENS (for herself, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. REED, Ms. 
JOHNSON of Texas, and Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology 
A BILL 
To amend the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology Act to make changes to the implementation of 
the network for manufacturing innovation, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Manufac-
turing Leadership Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CHANGES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF NETWORK FOR 
MANUFACTURING INNOVATION. 
Section 34 of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Net-
work for Manufacturing Innovation Program’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Manufacturing USA Program’’; 
and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (G), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (H), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 
and’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(I) to contribute to the development of re-
gional manufacturing innovation clusters across 
the Nation;’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Sec-
retary’’ each place it appears in subparagraph 
(C) and (D) and inserting ‘‘agency head’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking subparagraph (E); 
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(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs 
(A), (B), (C), and (D) as clauses (i), (ii), 
(iii), and (iv), respectively, and moving the 
margins of such clauses (as so redesig-
nated) two ems to the right; 
(iii) in the matter preceding clause (i) 
(as so redesignated), by striking ‘‘Activities 
of a center for manufacturing innovation 
may include’’ and inserting ‘‘(A) 
RE-
QUIRED ACTIVITIES.—Activities of a center 
for manufacturing innovation shall in-
clude’’; 
(iv) in clause (ii), as so redesignated, 
by inserting before the period at the end 
the following: ‘‘addressing workforce needs 
through training and education programs 
at all appropriate education levels’’; 
(v) in clause (iii), as so redesignated, 
by inserting before the period at the end 
the following: ‘‘, as appropriate’’; 
(vi) by inserting after clause (iv) (as 
so redesignated) the following: 
‘‘(v) Development of roadmaps with 
respect to certain technology areas that 
take into account the research and develop-
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ment undertaken at other centers for man-
ufacturing innovation and Federal agencies 
with respect to such areas to avoid duplica-
tion of effort and to ensure that research 
and development undertaken at such other 
centers and Federal agencies may be used 
for future, later-stage work at the centers 
for manufacturing innovation.’’; and 
(vii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(B) PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES.—Activities 
of a center for manufacturing innovation may 
include such other activities as the agency head, 
in consultation with Federal departments and 
agencies whose missions contribute to, or are 
affected by, advanced manufacturing, considers 
consistent with the purposes described in sub-
section (a)(2).’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (3), by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(C) APPLICATION.—Effective beginning 
on the date of the enactment of the American 
Manufacturing Leadership Act, a manufac-
turing center shall be subject to subsections 
(a)(2), (c), and (d) in the same manner and to 
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the same extent as such provisions apply to a 
center for manufacturing innovation established 
pursuant to this section if such center— 
‘‘(i)(I) is, as of such date of enact-
ment, considered a center for manufac-
turing innovation under subparagraph (A) 
or recognized as a center for manufac-
turing innovation under subparagraph (B); 
and 
‘‘(II) as of such date of enactment, re-
ceives Federal financial assistance under 
subsection (d) or otherwise consistent with 
the purposes of this section; or 
‘‘(ii) is under pending agency review 
for such recognition as of such date of en-
actment.’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘Secretary’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘agency head’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘for a period of not 
less than 5 and not more than 7 years’’ 
after ‘‘financial assistance’’; 
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(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Sec-
retary’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘agency head’’; 
(C) in paragraph (4)— 
(i) by amending subparagraph (A) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(A) COMPETITIVE, MERIT
REVIEW.—In 
awarding financial assistance under paragraph 
(1), the agency head shall— 
‘‘(i) use a competitive, merit review 
process that includes peer review by a di-
verse group of individuals with relevant ex-
pertise from both the private and public 
sectors; and 
‘‘(ii) ensure that the technology focus 
of a center for manufacturing innovation 
does not substantially duplicate the tech-
nology focus of any other center for manu-
facturing innovation.’’; 
(ii) in subparagraphs (B)(i), by strik-
ing ‘‘Secretary’’ each place it appears and 
inserting ‘‘agency head’’; 
(iii) by amending subparagraph (C) to 
read as follows: 
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‘‘(C) 
PERFORMANCE
MEASUREMENT, 
TRANSPARENCY, AND
ACCOUNTABILITY.—For 
each award of financial assistance under para-
graph (1), the agency head shall develop and 
implement metrics-based performance standards 
to assess the effectiveness of activities funded in 
making progress toward the purposes of the 
Program.’’; 
(iv) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
‘‘the Secretary shall’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘collaborate’’ and inserting the 
following: ‘‘agency head, in coordination 
with the National Program Office, as ap-
propriate, shall collaborate’’; and 
(v) in subparagraph (E), by striking 
‘‘Secretary’’ each place it appears and in-
serting ‘‘agency head’’; and 
(D) in paragraph (5)— 
(i) by amending subparagraph (A) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(A) TERM OF AWARD.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Subject to clause 
(ii), an award made to a center for manu-
facturing innovation may be renewed for 
an additional period not to exceed the du-
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ration of the original funding award, sub-
ject to a rigorous merit review. In award-
ing additional funds, the agency head shall 
consider the extent to which the center has 
made progress in achieving the purposes 
described in subsection (a) and carrying 
out the activities specified in subsection 
(c)(2). 
‘‘(ii) EXISTING
CENTERS.—Notwith-
standing clause (i), a center already in ex-
istence or undergoing a renewal process on 
the date of enactment of the llll 
Act— 
‘‘(I) may continue to receive sup-
port for the duration of the original 
funding award beginning on the date 
of establishment of that center; and 
‘‘(II) shall be eligible for renewal 
of that funding pursuant to clause 
(i).’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraphs (B) and (C), by 
striking ‘‘Secretary’’ each place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘agency head’’; 
(4) by striking subsection (e); 
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(5) by redesignating subsections (f), (g), (h), 
and (i) as subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h), respec-
tively; 
(6) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (E), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (F), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting a semi-
colon; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(H) to work with non-sponsoring Federal 
agencies to explore and develop options for 
sponsoring centers for manufacturing innova-
tion at such agencies; 
‘‘(I) to work with sponsoring Federal agen-
cies to develop and implement network-wide 
performance goals with measurable targets and 
timelines; 
‘‘(J) to help develop pilot programs that 
may be implemented by the centers for manu-
facturing innovation such to address specific 
purposes of the Program, including to accel-
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erate technology transfer to the private sector; 
and 
‘‘(K) to identify and disseminate best 
workforce education and training practices 
across centers for manufacturing innovation 
and further enhance collaboration among cen-
ters for manufacturing innovation in developing 
and implementing such programs.’’; and 
(B) by amending paragraph (5) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(5) HOLLINGS
MANUFACTURING
EXTENSION 
PARTNERSHIP.—The Secretary shall ensure that the 
National Program Office incorporates the Hollings 
Manufacturing Extension Partnership into Program 
planning to ensure— 
‘‘(A) significant outreach to, participation 
of, and engagement of small- and medium-sized 
manufacturers in centers for manufacturing in-
novation across the entirety of the manufac-
turing supply chain; and 
‘‘(B) that the results of the Program, in-
cluding technologies developed by the Program, 
reach small- and medium-sized manufacturers 
and that such entities have access to technical 
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assistance, as appropriate, in deploying those 
technologies.’’; 
(7) in subsection (f) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(A)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and 
all that follows through ‘‘report to the Sec-
retary’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘Each 
agency head shall require each recipient of 
financial assistance from that agency 
under subsection (d)(1) and any other 
manufacturing centers considered to be 
centers for manufacturing innovation pur-
suant to subsection (c)(3) to annually sub-
mit to the appropriate agency head a re-
port’’; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: ‘‘Each agency head shall submit 
such reports to the Secretary.’’; and 
(B) by amending paragraph (3) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(3) ASSESSMENTS BY GAO.— 
‘‘(A) ASSESSMENTS.—Not less frequently 
than once every 3 years, the Comptroller Gen-
eral shall submit to Congress an assessment of 
the operation of the Program during the most 
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recent 3-year period, including an assessment of 
the progress made towards achieving the goals 
specified in the national strategic plan for ad-
vanced manufacturing under section 102(b)(7) 
of the America COMPETES Reauthorization 
Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6622(b)(7)). 
‘‘(B) ELEMENTS.—Each assessment sub-
mitted under subparagraph (A) shall include, 
for the period covered by the report— 
‘‘(i) a review of the management, co-
ordination, and industry utility of the Pro-
gram; 
‘‘(ii) an assessment of the extent to 
which the Program has furthered the pur-
poses described in subsection (a)(2); 
‘‘(iii) such recommendations for legis-
lative and administrative action as the 
Comptroller General considers appropriate 
to improve the Program; and 
‘‘(iv) an assessment as to whether any 
prior recommendations for improvement 
made by the Comptroller General have 
been implemented or adopted.’’; 
(8) in subsection (g) (as so redesignated)— 
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(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (e)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (j)’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER FEDERAL 
AGENCIES.—The Secretary shall collaborate with 
Federal agencies whose missions contribute to, or 
are affected by, advanced manufacturing to identify 
and leverage existing resources at such Federal 
agencies to assist centers of manufacturing innova-
tion in carrying out the purposes of the program 
specified in subsection (a)(2). Such existing re-
sources may include programs— 
‘‘(A) at the Department of Labor relating 
to labor and apprenticeships; 
‘‘(B) at the Economic Development Ad-
ministration relating to regional innovation, 
such as the Regional Innovation Strategies pro-
gram; 
‘‘(C) at the Department of Education re-
lating to workforce development, education, 
training, and retraining; 
‘‘(D) at the Department of Defense relat-
ing to procurement and other authorities of the 
Department of Defense; 
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‘‘(E) at the Food and Drug Administration 
relating to biopharmaceutical manufacturing; 
‘‘(F) at the National Science Foundation, 
including the Advanced Technological Edu-
cation program; and 
‘‘(G) additional programs that the Sec-
retary determines are appropriate to support 
the activities of existing centers for manufac-
turing innovation.’’; and 
(9) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) AGENCY HEAD.—The term ‘agency head’ 
means the head of a Federal agency that is pro-
viding financial assistance for a center of manufac-
turing innovation, including the Secretary of Com-
merce and the Secretary of Energy. 
‘‘(2) REGIONAL
INNOVATION
CLUSTER.—The 
term ‘regional innovation cluster’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 27(f)(1) of the Stevenson- 
Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 
U.S.C. 3722(f)(1)). 
‘‘(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) NIST.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
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$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 
2024. 
‘‘(2) RESERVATION.—Of the amount made 
available under paragraph (1) the Secretary shall re-
serve not less than $5,000,000 for the National Of-
fice of the Network for Manufacturing Innovation 
Program established under subsection (e). 
‘‘(3) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.—For centers 
of manufacturing innovation operated by the De-
partment of Energy, there are authorized to be ap-
propriated to the Secretary of Energy— 
‘‘(A) $70,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2020 and 2021; and 
‘‘(B) $84,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2022 and 2023.’’. 
SEC. 3. INCREASED EMPHASIS ON REGIONAL INNOVATION 
WITHIN AND EXTENSION OF REGIONAL INNO-
VATION PROGRAM. 
Section 27 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Inno-
vation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3722) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2) by adding at the end 
the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(I) Developing relationships at the local 
level to build supply chains and use existing ca-
pabilities of entities operating on that level to 
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