I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5865 
To promote the growth and competitiveness of American manufacturing. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 30, 2012 
Mr. LIPINSKI (for himself and Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To promote the growth and competitiveness of American 
manufacturing. 
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 Competitiveness Act of 2012’’. 
SEC. 2. NATIONAL MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS 
STRATEGY. 
Not later than April 1, 2014 and April 1, 2018, the 
President shall submit to Congress, and publish on a pub-
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lic website, a strategy to promote growth, sustainability, 
and competitiveness in the Nation’s manufacturing sector, 
create well-paid, stable jobs, enable innovation and invest-
ment, and support national security. 
SEC. 3. MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS BOARD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established on the first 
day of each of the two Presidential terms following the 
date of enactment of this Act an American Manufacturing 
Competitiveness Board (in this Act referred to as ‘‘the 
Board’’). 
(b) MEMBERS.—Members of each Board shall be ap-
pointed as follows: 
(1) PUBLIC SECTOR MEMBERS.—The President 
shall appoint to the Board— 
(A) the Secretary of Commerce; 
(B) Governors of two States, from dif-
ferent political parties, after consulting with the 
National Governors Association; and 
(C) two other members who are current or 
former officials of the executive branch of gov-
ernment. 
(2) PRIVATE SECTOR MEMBERS.— 
(A) CRITERIA.—Ten individuals from the 
private sector shall be appointed to the Board 
in accordance with subparagraph (B) from 
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among individuals with experience in the areas 
of— 
(i) managing manufacturing compa-
nies; 
(ii) managing supply chain providers; 
(iii) managing labor organizations; 
(iv) workforce development; 
(v) finance; 
(vi) analyzing manufacturing policy 
and competitiveness; 
(vii) conducting manufacturing-related 
research and development; and 
(viii) the defense industrial base. 
(B) APPOINTMENT.—The Speaker of the 
House of Representatives and the majority 
leader of the Senate shall each appoint 3 mem-
bers to the Board. The minority leader of the 
House of Representatives and the minority 
leader of the Senate shall each appoint 2 mem-
bers to the Board. 
(c) TERMINATION.—The Board shall terminate 60 
days after submitting its final report pursuant to section 
4(d)(3). 
(d) CO-CHAIRMEN.—The Secretary of Commerce (or 
the designee of the Secretary) and a member elected by 
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for the national manufacturing competitiveness 
strategy. 
(3) LOCATIONS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS.—The lo-
cations of public meetings convened under para-
graph (2) shall ensure the inclusion of multiple re-
gions and industries of the manufacturing sector. 
(h) APPLICATION
OF FEDERAL ADVISORY COM-
MITTEE ACT.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
U.S.C. App.), other than section 14 of such Act, shall 
apply to the Board, including any subgroups established 
pursuant to subsection (e). 
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE BOARD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall— 
(1) advise the President and Congress on issues 
affecting the Nation’s manufacturing sector; 
(2) conduct a comprehensive analysis in accord-
ance with subsection (c); and 
(3) develop a national manufacturing competi-
tiveness strategy in accordance with subsection (d). 
(b) PRELIMINARY REPORT.—Within 180 days of a 
quorum of each Board being nominated, the Board shall 
issue a preliminary report on the state of American manu-
facturing. The preliminary report shall also identify any 
recommendations that have been issued by the Depart-
ment of Commerce Manufacturing Council that have not 
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been acted upon and a summary and assessment of rec-
ommendations that have been issued by other non-govern-
mental parties relating to domestic manufacturing. 
(c) COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS.—In developing a na-
tional manufacturing competitiveness strategy under sub-
section (d), the Board shall conduct a comprehensive anal-
ysis of the Nation’s manufacturing sector, taking into con-
sideration relevant reports, plans, or recommendations 
issued by Federal agencies, Federal advisory boards, aca-
demia, and the private sector. Such analysis shall ad-
dress— 
(1) the value and role of manufacturing in the 
Nation’s economy, security, and global leadership; 
(2) the current domestic and international envi-
ronment for the Nation’s manufacturing sector, and 
any subsector identified by the Board as warranting 
special study for competitiveness or for comparison 
purposes; 
(3) Federal, State, local, and Territorial poli-
cies, programs, and conditions that affect manufac-
turing; 
(4) a summary of the manufacturing policies 
and strategies of the Nation’s 10 largest trading 
partners, to the extent known; 
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(5) the identification of emerging or evolving 
markets, technologies, and products for which the 
Nation’s manufacturers could compete; 
(6) the identification of redundant or ineffective 
government programs related to manufacturing; 
(7) the short- and long-term forecasts for the 
Nation’s manufacturing sector, and forecasts of ex-
pected national and international trends and factors 
likely to affect such sector in the future; 
(8) the manner in which Federal agencies share 
information and views with respect to the effects of 
proposed or active regulations or other executive ac-
tions on the domestic manufacturing sector and its 
workforce; 
(9) the recommendations of the Department of 
Commerce Manufacturing Council, whether such rec-
ommendations have been implemented, and the ef-
fect of such recommendations; and 
(10) any other matters affecting the competi-
tiveness, growth, stability, and sustainability of the 
Nation’s manufacturing sector relative to those of 
other nations, including— 
(A) levels of domestic production; 
(B) productivity and the extent to which 
national economic statistics related to manufac-
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turing accurately measure manufacturing out-
put and productivity growth; 
(C) trade policy and balance; 
(D) energy policy; 
(E) expenditures on basic and applied re-
search related to manufacturing technology; 
(F) programs to help small and mid-sized 
manufacturers become more competitive; 
(G) the impact of Federal statutes and 
regulations; 
(H) the impact of Federal monetary policy; 
(I) the impact of taxation; 
(J) financing and investment; 
(K) research and development; 
(L) job creation and employment dispari-
ties; 
(M) workforce skills, gaps, and develop-
ment; 
(N) adequacy of the industrial base for 
maintaining national security; 
(O) protections for intellectual property; 
and 
(P) customs enforcement and counter-
feiting. 
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(d) NATIONAL MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS 
STRATEGY.— 
(1) DEVELOPMENT.—The Board shall develop a 
national manufacturing competitiveness strategy, 
based on— 
(A) the results of the comprehensive anal-
ysis conducted under subsection (c); and 
(B) any other information, studies, or per-
spectives that the Board determines to be ap-
propriate. 
(2) GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.— 
(A) GOALS.—The Board shall include in 
the national manufacturing competitiveness 
strategy short- and long-term goals for improv-
ing the competitiveness conditions of the Na-
tion’s manufacturing sector, taking into account 
the matters addressed in the comprehensive 
analysis conducted under subsection (c). 
(B) 
RECOMMENDATIONS.—The 
Board 
shall include in the national manufacturing 
competitiveness strategy recommendations for 
achieving the goals provided under subpara-
graph (A). Such recommendations may pro-
pose— 
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(i) actions to be taken by the Presi-
dent, Congress, State, local, and territorial 
governments, the private sector, univer-
sities, industry associations, and other 
stakeholders; 
(ii) actions to improve government 
policies and coordination among entities 
developing such policies; 
(iii) the consolidation or elimination of 
government programs; 
(iv) actions to improve government 
interaction with the manufacturing sector 
and communication regarding the effects 
of proposed or active government regula-
tions or other executive actions on the 
manufacturing sector and its workforce; 
and 
(v) the elimination or repeal of regula-
tions that place the United States manu-
facturing sector at a disadvantage relative 
to other nations. 
(3) REPORT.— 
(A) DRAFT.—Not later than 90 days be-
fore the date on which the President is required 
to submit to Congress a report containing a na-
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tional manufacturing competitiveness strategy 
under section 2, each Board shall publish in the 
Federal Register and on a public website a 
draft report containing a national manufac-
turing competitiveness strategy. 
(B) PUBLIC COMMENT; REVIEW AND REVI-
SION.—A draft report published under subpara-
graph (A) shall remain available for public com-
ment for a period of not less than 30 days from 
the date of publication. The Board shall review 
any comments received regarding such draft re-
port and may revise the draft report based 
upon those comments. 
(C) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 30 
days before the date on which the President is 
required to submit to Congress a report con-
taining a national manufacturing competitive-
ness strategy under section 2, each Board shall 
submit to the President for review and revision 
a final report containing a national manufac-
turing competitiveness strategy, and shall pub-
lish such final report on a public website. 
(D) REQUIRED
CONTENTS
OF
THE
RE-
PORT.—The final report submitted under sub-
paragraph (C) shall include— 
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(i) when feasible, an estimate of the 
short- and long-term Federal Government 
outlays and revenue changes necessary to 
implement the national manufacturing 
competitiveness strategy and an estimate 
of savings that may be derived from imple-
mentation of the national manufacturing 
competitiveness strategy; 
(ii) a detailed explanation of the 
methods and analysis used to determine 
the estimates included under clause (i); 
(iii) detailed recommendations regard-
ing how to pay for the cost of implementa-
tion estimated under clause (i), when fea-
sible; and 
(iv) a plan for how the recommenda-
tions included in the report will be imple-
mented and who is or should be respon-
sible for the implementation. 
(e) CONSULTATION.—In order to gain perspective 
and avoid duplication of efforts, the Board shall consult 
on manufacturing issues with the Defense Science Board, 
the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Tech-
nology, the Manufacturing Council established by the De-
partment of Commerce, and the Labor Advisory Com-
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mittee for Trade Negotiations and Trade Policy, and may 
consult with other relevant governmental entities or the 
private sector. 
SEC. 5. REQUIREMENT TO CONSIDER NATIONAL MANUFAC-
TURING 
COMPETITIVENESS 
STRATEGY 
IN 
BUDGET. 
In preparing the budget for each fiscal year through 
fiscal year 2020 under section 1105(a) of title 31, United 
States Code, the President shall include information re-
garding the consistency of the budget with the goals and 
recommendations included in national manufacturing 
competitiveness strategy. 
Æ 
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