I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3854 
To amend the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act relating 
to the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership to provide for 
enhanced representation on the Advisory Board, better assist United 
States-based small manufacturers and exporters, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 6, 2023 
Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself and Mr. POCAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To amend the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology Act relating to the Hollings Manufacturing Exten-
sion Partnership to provide for enhanced representation 
on the Advisory Board, better assist United States-based 
small manufacturers and exporters, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 ‘‘Manufacturing Part-
nership Improvement Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:41 Jul 01, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3854.IH
H3854
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP ADVI-
SORY BOARD; SMALL MANUFACTURERS AND 
EXPORTERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 25 of the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (m)(2)(A)(ii)— 
(A) in subclause (II), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
after the semicolon; 
(B) in subclause (III), by striking the pe-
riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subclause: 
‘‘(IV) at least 1 member shall 
represent 1 or more labor organiza-
tions (as such term is defined in sec-
tion 2 of the National Labor Relations 
Act (29 U.S.C. 152))— 
‘‘(aa) that is a national or 
international labor organization 
subject to section 401(a) of the 
Labor-Management 
Reporting 
and Disclosure Act of 1959 (29 
U.S.C. 481(a)) with members 
who are direct production em-
ployees in manufacturing estab-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:41 Jul 01, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3854.IH
H3854
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
lishments, as determined by the 
Director; or 
‘‘(bb) that participates in 1 
or more training programs reg-
istered under the Act of August 
16, 1937 (popularly known as 
the 
‘National 
Apprenticeship 
Act’; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.), for a 
highly skilled trade in manufac-
turing, as determined by the Di-
rector.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (n)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; 
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the 
period and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) to the greatest extent practicable, es-
tablish partnerships between each Center and 
the nearest— 
‘‘(i) regional or district offices of the 
Small Business Administration to provide 
training and guidance with respect to the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:41 Jul 01, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3854.IH
H3854
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
application process for loans guaranteed by 
the Small Business Administration; 
‘‘(ii) regional or district offices of the 
Economic Development Administration of 
the Department of Commerce to provide 
guidance in accessing relevant Federal as-
sistance for manufacturing; 
‘‘(iii) regional offices of the Depart-
ment of Labor to assist in workforce devel-
opment for manufacturing; or 
‘‘(iv) U.S. Export Assistance Center 
established by the United States and For-
eign Commercial Service of the Depart-
ment of Commerce pursuant to section 
2301(b)(8) of the Export Enhancement 
Act of 1988 (enacted as part of the Omni-
bus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 
1988 (15 U.S.C. 4721(b)(8))).’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—The National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology Act is amended— 
(1) in section 25 (15 U.S.C. 278k)— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) by redesignating the second para-
graph (7) (relating to the definition of the 
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Part-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:41 Jul 01, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3854.IH
H3854
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
nership or Program), and paragraphs (8) 
through (11), as paragraph (8), and para-
graphs (9) through (12), respectively; and 
(ii) in paragraph (8), as so redesig-
nated, by striking ‘‘established under sub-
section (n)’’ and inserting ‘‘established 
under subsection (m)’’; 
(B) in subsection (f)(2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (E), by striking 
the period and inserting a semicolon; and 
(C) in subsection (m)(5)(B), by striking 
‘‘and describe’’ through ‘‘section 23 (15 U.S.C. 
278i)’’; and 
(2) in section 34 (15 U.S.C. 278s)— 
(A) in subsection (e)(2)(B)(iv)(I), by in-
serting ‘‘a’’ before ‘‘renewed’’; and 
(B) in subsection (j)(7)— 
(i) in subparagraph (I), by inserting 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; 
(ii) in subparagraph (J)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘that are’’ before 
‘‘additional programs’’; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:41 Jul 01, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3854.IH
H3854
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(II) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and in-
serting a period; and 
(iii) by striking subparagraph (K). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:41 Jul 01, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3854.IH
H3854
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS