Chief Manufacturing Officer Act
Bill: H.R.1591 | Sponsor: Rep. Ryan, Tim (D-OH)
Policy area: Commerce

Summary:
Chief Manufacturing Officer Act
This bill directs the President to appoint a United States Chief Manufacturing Officer. The officer must coordinate manufacturing-related policies and activities across agencies and submit a national manufacturing srategy to develop the manufacturing sector, encourage economic growth, and promote the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing.

To establish the United States Chief Manufacturing Officer in the 
Executive Office of the President with the responsibility of developing 
   a National Manufacturing Strategy to revitalize the manufacturing 
sector, spur economic growth, and expand United States competitiveness, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Chief Manufacturing Officer Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The manufacturing sector consists of establishments 
        that are primarily engaged in the transformation of materials, 
        substances, or components into products.
            (2) A healthy, innovative manufacturing base plays a 
        central role in the United States economy and national defense.
            (3) The Federal Government supports manufacturing in a 
        variety of ways; support for manufacturing-related activities 
        are dispersed across several agencies in the executive branch.
            (4) Manufacturing employment, output, and exports are 
        impacted by a myriad of factors including the state of 
        infrastructure and transportation, tax policies, environmental 
        and other business regulations, trade policies, innovation 
        ecosystems, workforce development, and education initiatives. 
        Legislation and executive actions can have unintended impact on 
        the growth of manufacturing in the United States.
            (5) Manufacturers account for 11 percent of the total gross 
        domestic product output in the United States, employing 8 
        percent of the workforce. Total output from manufacturing is 
        more than 2 trillion dollars. There are nearly 13 million 
        manufacturing employees in the United States, with an average 
        annual compensation of about $85,000.
            (6) Given that 99 percent of manufacturing firms are small 
        and medium size enterprises with a predominantly local 
        employment footprint, workforce development programs must be 
        rooted in local circumstance and requirements.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that a well-
designed National Manufacturing Strategy would benefit the United 
States economy in several important ways, including the following:
            (1) A revitalized manufacturing sector would enable the 
        United States to increase its economic growth from domestic and 
        export production.
            (2) Manufacturing jobs continue to pay higher wages and 
        benefits than non-manufacturing jobs. Average domestic wages 
        would rise in response to growing manufacturing output.
            (3) Manufacturing industries undertake two-thirds of 
        private-sector research and development, which fuels the 
        innovation that serves as a primary engine of economic growth. 
        A growing manufacturing sector would help lay the foundations 
        for future economic expansion.
            (4) The United States would expand its long-standing 
        leadership in advanced manufacturing technologies with Federal 
        investments in manufacturing research and development, 
        education, and workforce training.
            (5) There exists a longstanding connection between domestic 
        manufacturing, national defense, and homeland security. A 
        strong and innovative manufacturing industry will maintain the 
        technical superiority of the United States military and secure 
        supply chain integrity.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
            (2) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (3) National manufacturing strategy; strategy.--The terms 
        ``National Manufacturing Strategy'' and ``Strategy'' mean the 
        National Manufacturing Strategy described in subsection (d).
            (4) Small business.--The term ``small business'' means a 
        company that has fewer than 500 employees.
            (5) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
        organization'' means an organization that is described under 
        section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt 
        from tax under section 501(a) of such Code.
            (6) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, territory, 
        or possession of the United States, and each federally 
        recognized Indian Tribe.
            (7) State educational agency.--The term ``State educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given that term in section 8101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. 7801).

SEC. 4. UNITED STATES CHIEF MANUFACTURING OFFICER.

    (a) Appointment.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the President shall appoint a United 
        States Chief Manufacturing Officer (referred to in this section 
        as the ``Chief Manufacturing Officer'').
            (2) Qualifications.--The President shall select the Chief 
        Manufacturing Officer from among individuals who have basic 
        qualifications and expertise in manufacturing technology and 
        policy.
            (3) Reporting.--The position of Chief Manufacturing Officer 
        shall be in the Executive Office of the President and shall 
        report to the President through the Chief of Staff.
            (4) National economic council.--The Chief Manufacturing 
        Officer shall be a member of the National Economic Council.
    (b) Pay.--The annual rate of pay for the Chief Manufacturing 
Officer shall be level II of the Executive Schedule rate of pay 
(subchapter II of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code) 
commensurate with the qualifications and expertise of the individual 
appointed to be such Officer.
    (c) Duties.--The duties of the Chief Manufacturing Officer are as 
follows:
            (1) To advise the President on policy issues that affect 
        the workforce and economic activity of the manufacturing sector 
        including science, technology, trade, tariffs, currency, and 
        procurement policies.
            (2) To deliver the National Manufacturing Strategy.
            (3) To convene interagency working groups to align Federal 
        policies to drive implementation of the National Manufacturing 
        Strategy, including collaboration among the Departments of 
        Education, Labor, Energy, Commerce, and Defense, the 
        Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, 
        Small Business Administration, and other agencies.
            (4) To evaluate the effectiveness of existing measures 
        designed to improve innovation, productivity, energy 
        efficiency, economic growth, cybersecurity, and manufacturing 
        industries' contribution to national security.
            (5) To propose studies and policy experiments, in 
        cooperation with agencies and the manufacturing industry, to 
        determine effective measures to advance technological 
        innovation and productivity in manufacturing in the United 
        States.
            (6) To propose studies and policy experiments, in 
        cooperation with agencies and the manufacturing industry, to 
        determine effective measures to improve environmental 
        sustainability within the manufacturing industry.
            (7) To connect manufacturing support programs across the 
        United States to make them more efficient, focused, and easier 
        to use.
            (8) To identify opportunities to improve the efficiency of 
        grant opportunities that affect the manufacturing workforce.
            (9) To assess Federal loan programs to ensure greater 
        access to capital for small businesses that are manufacturers.
            (10) To examine and improve tax incentives for 
        manufacturing companies in relation to increasing support for 
        investment in--
                    (A) workforce training; and
                    (B) productivity and systems improvements, 
                including smart supply chain management technology and 
                cybersecurity measures.
            (11) To foster the use of best practices for manufacturing, 
        information technology, and cybersecurity by identifying and 
        encouraging their use across all Federal Government programs 
        and throughout the procurement process.
            (12) To encourage the creation of joint initiatives by 
        State and local governments, regional organizations, private 
        companies, institutions of higher education, nonprofit 
        organizations, and Federal laboratories to encourage technology 
        transfer, to stimulate innovation, and pursue targeted 
        workforce development to promote an environment ready for 
        investments in manufacturing-related industries.
            (13) To participate in discussions among companies that 
        manufacture in the United States on topics of interest to the 
        manufacturing industry and workforce, including discussions 
        regarding emerging and advanced technologies.
            (14) To work with the manufacturing industry to identify 
        needs, challenges, and opportunities across the manufacturing 
        sector which, if addressed, could make a significant 
        contribution to improving the ability of manufacturers in the 
        United States to compete successfully in international markets.
            (15) To carry out ongoing competitive analysis of the 
        manufacturing policies of the governments of other countries, 
        alongside their industrial structures and labor conditions, to 
        help identify factors that successfully support the development 
        of strong manufacturing industries.
            (16) To analyze legislative and agency proposals to assess 
        and advise on their potential direct and indirect impact on the 
        manufacturing industry.
            (17) To work with agencies and the Director of the Office 
        of Management and Budget in the development of manufacturing-
        related elements of the President's annual budget request to 
        Congress.
            (18) To identify and share best practice activities 
        designed to help support struggling manufacturing enterprises 
        to review business plans, improve competitiveness, and manage 
        issues like succession planning to avoid closures and retain 
        jobs.
            (19) To assist States in their economic development plans 
        for manufacturing, in their efforts to encourage manufacturing 
        enterprises to retain manufacturing facilities within the 
        United States, and to foster the domestic retention of 
        facilities and jobs.
            (20) To support communities negatively impacted by the 
        closure or relocation of manufacturing facilities by promoting 
        efforts to create an environment and workforce equipped to 
        attract advanced manufacturing enterprises.
            (21) To promote and grow the Network for Manufacturing 
        Innovation Program established under section 34 of the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s).
            (22) To review the effectiveness of and identify 
        shortcomings in existing statutes and policies focused on 
        promoting the domestic use of federally funded research and 
        development in manufacturing technology.
            (23) To identify and evaluate changes to existing statutes 
        and policies and to recommend legislation and policies to more 
        effectively ensure the domestic use of federally funded 
        research and development in manufacturing technology and to 
        recover such investments from profits realized as a result of 
        offshore manufacturing of systems or components utilizing 
        federally funded technologies or their derivatives.
            (24) To work with appropriate agencies, State and local 
        governments, regional organizations, institutions of higher 
        education, nonprofit organizations, and private companies to 
        stimulate interest in manufacturing careers.
            (25) To enhance public perception of manufacturing careers, 
        encouraging participation of public and private organizations, 
        State educational agencies, and institutions of higher 
        education in the annual celebration of manufacturing industries 
        on national Manufacturing Day.
            (26) To coordinate with activities under the Foreign 
        Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (Public Law 
        115-232) and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United 
        States to ensure the protection of sensitive emerging United 
        States manufacturing-related technologies.
            (27) To perform such other functions or activities as the 
        President may assign.
    (d) National Manufacturing Strategy.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the 
        Chief Manufacturing Officer shall submit the National 
        Manufacturing Strategy to the President and Congress. The 
        Strategy shall contain a summary of the current state of 
        manufacturing in the United States and comprehensive strategies 
        to--
                    (A) work across Federal and State government 
                agencies to produce a coherent integrated strategy and 
                plans;
                    (B) identify and address the anticipated workforce 
                needs of the manufacturing sector, recognizing that 
                this sector includes diverse industries competing in 
                different operating environments;
                    (C) work with industry experts to strengthen 
                education initiatives, and shape training and 
                certificate programs that can be adapted to reflect 
                local circumstances;
                    (D) create or improve manufacturing training 
                programs and appropriate career paths into 
                manufacturing jobs, to expand opportunities for all, 
                and, in particular, the participation of veterans, the 
                unemployed, women, and other underrepresented groups;
                    (E) promote the development of quality control and 
                other technical standards;
                    (F) maintain reliable physical and 
                telecommunication infrastructure and identify and 
                advocate for future infrastructure requirements;
                    (G) analyze manufacturing technology needs, monitor 
                technology developments, and analyze threats to and 
                opportunities for the manufacturing sector;
                    (H) recommend appropriate tax incentives and 
                financial tools to assist manufacturing enterprises to 
                improve their competitiveness;
                    (I) review Federal and State regulations to focus 
                on reducing the cost of manufacturing, while improving 
                innovation, productivity, and environmental 
                sustainability;
                    (J) promote the export of United States 
                manufactured goods and the enforcement of fair trade 
                rules embedded in bilateral and international 
                agreements, including rules related to intellectual 
                property rights and labor protection;
                    (K) identify other forms of assistance for 
                companies that manufacture in the United States, 
                enabling them to compete successfully in the 
                international marketplace; and
                    (L) address such other issues as the President 
                determines necessary.
            (2) Incorporation of other strategic plans.--The Chief 
        Manufacturing Officer shall integrate into the National 
        Manufacturing Strategy described in paragraph (1) the 
        following:
                    (A) The national strategic plan for advanced 
                manufacturing developed under section 102(c) of the 
                America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 
                6622(c)).
                    (B) The strategic plan developed for the Network 
                for Manufacturing Innovation Program under section 
                34(f)(2)(C) of the National Institute of Standards and 
                Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s(f)(2)(C)).
                    (C) The manufacturing elements of the National 
                Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan under section 
                2(c)(4) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and 
                Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(c)(4)).
    (e) Bi-Annual Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the Chief 
Manufacturing Officer, in consultation with the Director of the Office 
of Management and Budget, shall submit to the President and Congress a 
report that describes progress made in the implementation of the 
National Manufacturing Strategy and in fulfilment of its objectives.
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