America Recruits Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1615
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Introduced: 2013-10-30
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations

Advisory bodies

Business investment and capital

Census and government statistics

Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits

Computers and information technology

Congressional oversight

Corporate finance and management

Economic development

Employee hiring

Employment and training programs

Free trade and trade barriers

Government information and archives

Government lending and loan guarantees

Government studies and investigations

Industrial facilities

Industrial policy and productivity

Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media

Manufacturing

Performance measurement

Research administration and funding

Research and development

Rural conditions and development

Service industries

Vocational and technical education
Latest action: action_date: 2013-10-30
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-10-30
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>America Recruits Act of 2013 - Expresses the sense of Congress that it should take certain actions to help U.S. companies create new manufacturing and services jobs in the United States.</p> <p>Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a program to award federal grants to states recruiting high-value jobs, that is, those within an eligible facility that pay wages higher than the mean hourly U.S. wage and have North American Industrial Classifications corresponding with: (1) manufacturing, (2) software publishers, (3) computer systems design, or (4) related codes. Allows states to use such grants to issue forgivable loans of $5,000 per full-time equivalent employee to eligible entities deciding whether to locate in a foreign country or the United States to assist them in locating in rural or distressed areas of the state.</p> <p>Establishes the United States Economic Competitiveness Commission to: (1) assess U.S. competitiveness in the global economy as well as offer recommendations to the federal government for its improvement over time; and (2) develop the Technology Database Mapping Program to identify markets for new and developing technologies, including manufacturing process technologies, for U.S. corporations to gain a competitive advantage in each sector of the global economy.</p> <p>Directs the Secretary to develop recommendations for executive or legislative action to: (1) expand the scope of high-value jobs and engineering work performed by U.S. companies in order to create new jobs in the United States; and (2) encourage U.S. corporations with high-value jobs located in a foreign country to repatriate them to the United States, including foreign earnings, in order to increase investment and job creation in the United States.</p> <p>Requires the Secretary to establish annual baseline and target levels for: (1) high-value job creation and high-value job growth in U.S. manufacturing and information technology, and (2) high-value job repatriation to the United States. Authorizes the Secretary to establish task forces to meet these levels.</p> <p>Directs the Secretary to ensure that industry-approved certification assessments and standards are established and available to providers of education and training programs in manufacturing and information technology in order to: (1) improve program performance; and (2) ensure that individuals who complete training have the skills to enter high-skill, high-demand occupations in manufacturing and information technology.</p> <p>Directs the Secretary to improve certain annual and five-year surveys to gather information about all companies in the United States that own or operate manufacturing or information technology facilities, including customer service facilities outside the United States, to identify specified information about them.</p> <p>Directs the Secretary to seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to develop recommendations for improving the capabilities of U.S. industrial facilities to compete in the global economy through the use of advanced manufacturing technologies.</p> <p>Directs the International Trade Commission (ITC) to: (1) report biennially to Congress and the President on the effects of distortive or discriminatory economic policies of foreign countries, and (2) assess the effects of foreign countries, practices, and industries in the National Trade Estimate that are commercially significant and pose the greatest threat to the United States over the next 10 years.</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1615 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 30, 2013 Mr. Warner introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To develop and recruit new, high-value jobs to the United States, to encourage the repatriation of jobs that have been off-shored to other countries, and for other purposes.

1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the America Recruits Act of 2013 . (b) Table of contents The table of contents of this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Findings. Sec. 3. Inbound investment program to recruit jobs to the United States. Sec. 4. United States Economic Competitiveness Commission. Sec. 5. Improvements to Federal efforts to support job creation in manufacturing and services sectors. Sec. 6. Utilization of industry-approved certification assessments and standards to improve education and training program performance. Sec. 7. Feasibility assessment for manufacturing capacity improvement partnership. Sec. 8. Surveys of United States corporations with manufacturing facilities or customer service centers located in foreign countries. Sec. 9. National Academy of Sciences recommendations for improving advanced manufacturing. Sec. 10. Assessment of distortive economic policies. Sec. 11. Limitation on Government printing costs. 2. Findings (a) In general Congress finds the following: (1) Between 1971 and 2011, the United States share of manufacturing output as a percentage of the world total has dropped by almost 10 percent, with 50 percent of this decline occurring during the last decade. (2) Manufacturing has been a source of good jobs and has historically provided wages and benefits nine percent above the average for American workers. (3) The number of manufacturing sites in the United States fell from 397,552 in 2001 to 344,352 by June 2010, leaving more than 50,000 factories far below capacity or vacant. (4) In 2010, the trade deficit of the United States in manufactured products with advanced technology was over $81,000,000,000. (5) The percentage of Americans working in manufacturing fell from 12.5 percent in 1998 to 8.9 percent in 2008, and is expected to decline to 7.4 percent by 2018. (6) United States service industries, including information technology, financial services, professional and business services, transportation and logistics, utilities, and others employ more than 90,000,000 Americans and have enjoyed significant growth over the last decade. (7) The unemployment rate in the United States has been greater than 8 percent since January 2009. (8) Exports currently support more than 1/3 of United States manufacturing jobs and more than $500,000,000,000 in services exports. The earnings of Americans who work for firms that export are more than 15 percent higher than those of similar workers at firms that do not export. (9) Ninety-five percent of the world’s consumers of goods and services live outside the United States. (10) To create the next generation of high-value jobs and to be competitive in the global marketplace, we need to expand the capacity of the manufacturing and traded services sectors to support exports. (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that Congress should— (1) take action to help companies create new manufacturing and services jobs in the United States, including an inbound investment program which would provide matching funds to States that seek to recruit companies to locate in their State; (2) encourage expedited consideration of export financing for companies that are already working with the Federal Government to increase their export capacity; (3) ensure industry-approved certification assessments and standards are established for providers of education and workforce training programs in manufacturing and information technology; (4) establish policies that enable lawmakers to better understand the challenges facing American manufacturing, including— (A) metrics that measure the success of onshoring and manufacturing-related programs; (B) baseline and annual targets for high-value job creation and job repatriation; and (C) improvements to existing surveys of companies with overseas facilities; (5) establish an independent United States Economic Competitiveness Commission to provide ongoing assessments of the competitiveness of the United States in key sectors; (6) further exercise its oversight role by asking the National Academy of Sciences to assess the effectiveness of Federal research and development funding and programs that support advanced manufacturing; and (7) call upon the independent United States International Trade Commission and the Government Accountability Office to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of distortive or discriminatory economic policies in global markets in order to better support and assist United States companies. 3. Inbound investment program to recruit jobs to the United States (a) Program required Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall establish a program to award grants to States that are recruiting high-value jobs. Grants awarded under this section may be used to issue forgivable loans to eligible entities that are deciding whether to locate eligible facilities in foreign countries or in the United States to assist such entities in locating such facilities in rural or distressed areas. (b) Federal grants to States (1) In general The Secretary shall carry out the program through the award of grants to States to provide loans described in subsection (c). (2) Application (A) In general A State seeking a grant under the program shall submit an application to the Secretary in such manner and containing such information as the Secretary may require. Once the program is operational, any State may apply for a grant on an ongoing basis, until funds are exhausted. The Secretary may also establish a process for pre-clearing applications from States. The Secretary shall notify all States of this grant opportunity once the program is operational. All information about the program and the State application process must be online and must be in a format that is easily understood and is widely accessible. (B) Elements Each application submitted by a State under subparagraph (A) shall include— (i) a description of the eligible entity the State proposes to assist in locating an eligible facility in a rural or distressed area of the State; (ii) a description of such facility, including the number of high-value jobs relating to such facility; (iii) a description of such rural or distressed area; (iv) a description of the resources of the State that the State has committed to assisting such corporation in locating such facility, including tax incentives provided, bonding authority exercised, and land granted; and (v) such other elements as the Secretary considers appropriate. (C) Notice As soon as practicable after establishing the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall notify all States of the grants available under the program and the process for applying for such grants. (D) Online submission of applications The Secretary shall establish a mechanism for the electronic submission of applications under subparagraph (A). Such mechanism shall utilize an Internet website and all information on such website shall be in a format that is easily understood and widely accessible. (E) Confidentiality The Secretary may not make public any information submitted by a State to the Secretary under this paragraph regarding the efforts of such State to assist an eligible entity in locating an eligible facility in such State without the express consent of the State. (3) Selection The Secretary shall award grants under the program on a competitive basis to States that— (A) the Secretary determines are most likely to succeed with a grant under the program in assisting an eligible entity in locating an eligible facility in a rural or distressed area; (B) if successful in assisting an eligible entity as described in subparagraph (A), will create the greatest number of high-value jobs in rural or distressed areas; (C) have committed significant resources, to the extent of their ability as determined by the Secretary, to assisting eligible entities in locating eligible facilities in a rural or distressed areas; or (D) meet such other criteria as the Secretary considers appropriate, including criteria relating to marketing plans, benefits to ongoing regional or State strategies for economic development, and job growth. (4) Limitation on competition between states The Secretary may not award a grant to a State under the program to assist an eligible entity in locating an eligible facility in such State if another State is seeking to assist such eligible entity in locating such eligible facility in such other State. (5) Availability of grant amounts For each grant awarded to a State under the program, the Secretary shall make available to such State the amount of such grant not later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary awarded the grant. The total amount of grants awarded under this program may not exceed $100,000,000. (c) Loans from States to corporations (1) In general Amounts received by a State under the program shall be used to provide assistance to an eligible entity to locate an eligible facility in a rural or distressed area of the State. (2) Loans A State receiving a grant under the program shall provide assistance under paragraph (1) in the form of a single loan to a single eligible entity as described in paragraph (1) to cover the costs incurred by the eligible entity in locating the eligible facility as described in such paragraph. (3) Loan terms and conditions Each loan provided under paragraph (2) shall have a term of 5 years and shall bear interest at rates equal to the Federal long-term rate under section 1274(d)(1)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. (4) Amount The amount of a loan issued to an eligible entity under the program for the location of an eligible facility shall be an amount equal to not more than $5,000 per full-time equivalent employee to be employed at such facility. (5) Repayment Repayment of a loan issued by a State to an eligible entity under the program shall be repaid in accordance with such schedule as the State shall establish in accordance with such rules as the Secretary shall prescribe for purposes of the program. Such rules shall provide for the following: (A) Forgiveness of all or a portion of the loan, the amount of such forgiveness depending upon the following: (i) The performance of the borrower. (ii) The number or quality of the jobs at the facility located under the program. (B) Repayment of principal or interest, if any, at the end of the term of the loan. (d) Existing office To the degree practicable, the Secretary shall carry out the program through an office of the Department of Commerce that existed on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act. (e) Assessment and recommendations (1) Ongoing assessment The Secretary shall conduct an ongoing assessment of the program. (2) Recommendations The Secretary may submit to Congress recommendations for such legislative action as the Secretary considers appropriate to improve the program, including with respect to any findings of the Secretary derived by comparing the program established under subsection (a) with the programs and policies of governments of other countries used to recruit high-value jobs. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Distressed The term distressed , with respect to an area, means an area in the United States that, on the date on which the program is established under subsection (a)— (A) is included in the most recent classification of labor surplus areas by the Secretary of Labor; and (B) has an unemployment rate equal to or great than 110 percent of the unemployment rate of the United States. (2) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means an entity that employs not fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees in high-value jobs. (3) Eligible facility The term eligible facility means a facility at which— (A) an eligible entity employs not fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees in high-value jobs; (B) with respect to a rural or distressed area, the mean of the wages provided by the eligible entity to individuals employed at such facility is greater than the mean wage for the county in which the rural or distressed area is located; and (C) the facility derives at least the majority of its revenues from— (i) goods production; or (ii) providing product design, engineering, marketing, or information technology services. (4) High-value job defined The term high-value job means a job that— (A) exists within an eligible facility; and (B) has a North American Industrial Classification that corresponds with manufacturing, software publishers, computer systems design, or related codes, and is higher than the mean hourly wage in the country. (5) Rural The term rural , with respect to an area, means any area in the United States which, as confirmed by the latest decennial census, is not located within— (A) a city, town, or incorporated area that has a population of greater than 20,000 inhabitants; or (B) an urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants. 4. United States Economic Competitiveness Commission (a) Establishment There is established a commission to be known as the United States Economic Competitiveness Commission (referred to in this section as the Commission ). (b) Membership (1) Composition The Commission shall be composed of 12 members appointed as follows: (A) Three members appointed by the majority leader of the Senate. (B) Three members appointed by the minority leader of the Senate. (C) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (D) Three members appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives. (2) Deadline for appointment Each member of the Commission shall be appointed not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. (3) Terms Each member of the Commission shall be appointed for a term of 2 years and may serve not more than 3 terms. (4) Vacancies Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. (5) Meetings The Commission shall meet at least once each month at the call of the chairperson or a majority of its members. The Commission shall hold at least 1 meeting in corporation in each of 6 months per year. (6) Quorum Eight members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, except that if a majority of members in the quorum have been appointed by a leader of the same political party, the quorum shall include not fewer than 3 members appointed by a leader of the other political party. (7) Chairperson and vice chairperson The Commission shall elect a chairperson and vice chairperson from among its members. The term of office of the chairperson and vice chairperson shall be 2 years. (c) Duties (1) Ongoing assessment of united states competitiveness (A) Assessment required The Commission shall conduct an ongoing independent assessment of the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy in order to offer recommendations to the Government for the improvement of United States competitiveness over time. (B) Elements In carrying out the assessment required by subparagraph (A), the Commission shall, on an ongoing basis— (i) assess the competitiveness of the United States in all sectors of the global economy, including sectors relating to manufacturing, aerospace, communications, information technology, energy, life sciences, biotechnology, and such other sectors as the Commission considers appropriate; (ii) identify, including through use of the Technology Database Mapping Program developed under paragraph (2)— (I) markets (including anticipated markets) for new and developing technologies in each sector of the global economy; and (II) new and developing process technologies, including manufacturing process technologies that can be used by United States corporations to gain a competitive advantage in such sectors of the global economy; and (iii) identify measures to take advantage of the markets and technologies identified under subclauses (I) and (II) of clause (ii), respectively, to give the United States a competitive advantage in such sectors of the global economy, including, as appropriate, measures to encourage and facilitate the development, acquisition, and use of technologies described in such subclauses. (2) Technology database mapping program The Commission shall develop a detailed, accurate, and comprehensive computer program database, to be known as the Technology Database Mapping Program , to identify and keep track of new and developing technologies described in subclauses (I) and (II) of paragraph (1)(B)(ii). (3) Repository The Commission shall serve as an independent repository for information about technological developments in global markets. (4) Reports (A) Periodic reports The Commission shall submit to Congress, at such periodic frequency as the Commission considers appropriate, a report on the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy. (B) Elements Each report submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall include the following: (i) The findings of the Commission with respect to the most recent assessment carried out pursuant to clause (i) of paragraph (1)(B). (ii) A description of the markets and technologies identified pursuant to clause (ii) of such paragraph. (iii) A description of the measures identified pursuant to clause (iii) of such paragraph and any factors affecting the implementation of such measures, including factors relating to the following: (I) Proposed trade agreements and the enforcement of existing trade agreements. (II) Taxation. (III) Government procurement and Government regulations. (IV) The United States patent system. (V) Intellectual property laws and the enforcement of such laws. (VI) Education, including vocational training. (VII) Research and development programs. (VIII) Infrastructure development, with emphasis on improvements necessary to attract new jobs. (iv) Recommendations for national priorities for advanced research projects for industries of the future. (C) Ad hoc reports The Commission shall submit to Congress such other reports as are requested by members of Congress or congressional committees. (d) Powers of commission (1) Hearings and evidence The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out this section. The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing before it. (2) Powers of members and agents Any member or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which the Commission is authorized to take under this section. (3) Information from federal agencies The Commission may secure directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the Commission considers necessary to enable it to carry out this section. Upon request of the chairperson of the Commission, the head of such department or agency shall, to the extent authorized by law, furnish such information to the Commission. (4) Postal services The Commission may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the Federal Government. (5) Gifts, bequests, and devises The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of money and proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, bequests, or devises shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States and shall be available for disbursement upon order of the chairperson of the Commission. (6) Administrative support services Upon the request of the Commission, the Administrator of the General Services Administration shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support services necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities under this section. (7) Contract authority To the extent or in the amounts provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the Commission may contract with and compensate government and private agencies or corporations to enable the Commission to discharge its duties under this section. (e) Commission personnel matters (1) Service without pay The members of the Commission shall serve without pay. (2) Travel expenses Each member shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code. (3) Staff (A) Director (i) In general Subject to subparagraph (C) and to the extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the Commission shall appoint and fix the compensation of a director. (ii) Duties The director of the Commission shall be responsible for the administration and coordination of the duties of the Commission and shall perform such other duties as the Commission may direct. (B) Staff In accordance with rules agreed upon by the Commission, subject to subparagraph (C), and to the extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the director may appoint and fix the compensation of such additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the Commission to carry out its duties. (C) Applicability of certain civil service laws The director and staff of the Commission may be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service and may be compensated without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that— (i) compensation fixed under subparagraph (A)(i) may not exceed $150,000 per year; and (ii) compensation fixed under subparagraph (B) may not exceed a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level V of the Executive Schedule. (4) Experts and consultants In accordance with rules agreed upon by the Commission and to the extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the director may procure the services of experts and consultants under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title. (5) Detail of Government employees Upon request of the Commission, the head of any Federal department or agency may detail, without reimbursement from the Commission, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this section. Such detailee shall retain the rights, status, and privileges of their regular employment without interruption. (f) Termination The authority for the Commission provided in this section shall terminate and the Commission shall be dissolved on September 30, 2017. (g) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2014 through 2018. 5. Improvements to Federal efforts to support job creation in manufacturing and services sectors (a) Baseline and annual targets Each year, the Secretary of Commerce shall establish a baseline and target levels for— (1) high-value job creation and high-value job growth in United States manufacturing and information technology; and (2) repatriating high-value jobs to the United States. (b) Recommendations To encourage repatriation of high-Value jobs (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall, in consultation with relevant Federal agencies, develop recommendations for such executive or legislative action as the Secretary considers appropriate— (A) to expand the scope of high-value jobs performed by companies in the United States in order to create new jobs in the United States, including efforts— (i) to serve the United States domestic market; (ii) to increases exports from the United States to overseas; and (iii) to identify and support developments in emerging sectors; (B) to expand the scope of engineering work performed by companies in the United States in order to create new jobs in the United States, including efforts described in subparagraph (A); (C) to assess— (i) the effectiveness of current laws on companies based in the United States in terms of the effect on marginal decisions on where to locate capacity expansions; and (ii) if United States domestic or global growth occurs, how can legislation facilitate United States-based companies expanding their United States-based manufacturing, not solely their foreign-based manufacturing operations; and (D) to encourage United States corporations with production or services located in a foreign country to repatriate such production or services to the United States, including foreign earnings, for the purpose of increasing investment and job creation in the United States. (2) Elements The recommendations required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) An assessment of the effectiveness of current law in encouraging the repatriation of foreign earnings to the United States and in investing foreign earnings in the United States, including an estimate of the loss of revenue to the United States from any existing policies. (B) An assessment of the feasibility and advisability of additional legislative action to encourage the repatriation of manufacturing production or services to the United States. (C) An estimate of the potential impacts of the legislative action described in subparagraph (B). (D) Development of recommendations regarding legislative action described in subparagraph (B). (3) Report (A) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to Congress the recommendations required by paragraph (1). (B) Publication Upon submission of the report pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall make such report available to the public. (c) Establishment of repatriation task forces (1) Establishment The Secretary of Commerce may establish such task forces as the Secretary considers necessary to meet the baseline and target levels established under subsection (a) and, to the extent possible, implement the recommendations issued under subsection (b). (2) Cooperation To the degree practicable, each task force established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall cooperate with— (A) the President's Council on Innovation and Competitiveness in the development of the agenda required by section 1006(d)(1) of the America COMPETES Act (15 U.S.C. 3718(d)(1)); and (B) other relevant efforts to improve United States competitiveness. (3) Membership Each task force established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be composed of members appointed by the Secretary as follows: (A) At least 1 representative of each of the following: (i) The Office of the Secretary of Commerce. (ii) The Economic Development Administration. (iii) The International Trade Administration. (iv) The United States Patent and Trademark Office. (v) The National Institute of Standards and Technology. (vi) The Bureau of Industry and Security. (B) Not fewer than 3 representatives of the private sector, including different industries representing the manufacturing sector, as the Secretary considers appropriate. (4) Duties Each task force established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall— (A) identify United States corporations with production or services located in a foreign country that are interested in repatriating goods or services production to the United States; (B) identify the unique needs of each corporation described in subparagraph (A) that are necessary to facilitate repatriation; (C) advise and assist corporations described in subparagraph (A) and State and local governments to promote and facilitate repatriation opportunities; (D) act as an impartial advocate for all State and local governments choosing to compete for facilities or jobs being repatriated; (E) to the maximum extent practicable, work with Federal agencies to provide the technical assistance necessary to corporations described in subparagraph (A) and State and local governments to facilitate the repatriation of facilities or jobs to the United States; (F) educate corporations described in subparagraph (A) and State and local governments on— (i) each task force established pursuant to paragraph (1); and (ii) all Federal assistance available to facilitate repatriation of facilities and jobs relating to the manufacturing and information technology sectors; (G) identify Federal policies and regulations that— (i) encourage the offshoring of United States manufacturing and information technology jobs or facilities; or (ii) that discourage repatriation of such jobs or facilities; and (H) work closely with the President and relevant agencies to change the policies and regulations identified pursuant to subparagraph (G) to discourage offshoring of United States manufacturing and traded services and to encourage the repatriation of manufacturing and services. (d) Nonduplication of efforts In carrying out the requirements of this section, the Secretary shall, to the degree practicable, coordinate with any existing efforts to improve the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy and to strengthen the manufacturing and information technology-related sectors of the United States. (e) High-Value job defined In this section, the term high-value job has the meaning given the term in section 3(f). 6. Utilization of industry-approved certification assessments and standards to improve education and training program performance (a) In general The Secretary of Commerce, in cooperation with the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies and industry partners, shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that industry-approved certification assessments and standards are established and available to providers of education and training programs in manufacturing and information technology not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act in order to improve the performance of training programs and to ensure that individuals who complete such training have the skills necessary to enter high-skill, high-demand occupations in manufacturing and information technology. (b) Activities To ensure that education and training providers have access to industry-approved certification assessments and standards pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary of Commerce shall— (1) create an initial list of high-skill, high-demand manufacturing and information technology occupations where academically accredited degrees are not required for job entrance; (2) catalogue existing current, industry-approved training and education program standards that have accompanying objective certification assessments, which may be the products of Federal agencies, State agencies, local workforce investment boards, community and technical colleges, apprenticeships, industry associations, or localized industry formations within or across States or education organizations, or any other institution the Secretary considers appropriate; (3) identify industry-approved training and education program standards that do not have a certification assessment to measure the competency of those completing training, and where such assessments do not exist, work with relevant Federal agencies, State agencies, education and training organizations, and representatives of affected industries and industry-approved skills standards accrediting bodies to create objective certification assessments for industries that have substantial current or future employment, as determined by the Secretary; (4) identify training and education programs that do not implement industry-approved standards and accompanying certification assessments, and where neither standards nor assessments exist, work with relevant Federal agencies, State agencies, education and training organizations, and representatives of the affected industries and industry-approved skills standards accrediting bodies to create industry-recognized standards and objective certification assessments for industries that have substantial current or future employment, as determined by the Secretary; (5) include within the catalogue required by paragraph (2) any training or education program standards or certification assessments created under paragraph (3) or (4); and (6) not less frequently than once every 3 years, review the catalogue required by paragraph (2) to ensure training and education programs and accompanying certification assessments are current and continue to have industry-approval, and in any case in which training and education programs have lost industry-approval, work with the effected industries, related Federal agencies, and education and training organizations— (A) to identify existing standards and assessments that are appropriate; or (B) to create them. (c) Performance evaluations (1) In general The Secretary shall evaluate the assessments and standards described in subsection (a) by assessing— (A) how accurately the assessments described in such subsection measure the competency of workers who have completed education and training programs described in such subsection; and (B) the satisfaction of manufacturing and information technology companies with the quality of such assessments and standards. (2) Collection of data In evaluating assessments and standards under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall work with relevant agencies and industry organizations to collect the following data: (A) The number of students taking each occupational assessment annually. (B) The number of students demonstrating competency on each assessment on the first, second, or third attempt, annually. (C) The number of assessed students employed in the occupation for which they were trained. (3) Annual survey Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall carry out a survey, through an existing annual industry survey if practicable, of a sample of manufacturing and information technology firms to assess— (A) satisfaction with the assessments and standards described in subsection (a); and (B) labor shortages by each high-skill, high-demand occupation. (4) Publication of results Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall publish the results of the evaluations carried out under paragraph (1) and the surveys carried out under paragraph (3). In publishing such results, the Secretary shall disaggregate data by State and where possible by county, State and local workforce investment board, and training or education provider. (d) Seal In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish a Department of Commerce Certification of Excellence that the Secretary shall make available to education and training providers that use the assessments and standards described in such subsection and who show strong evidence of success in placing students in the occupations for which they were trained. If the Secretary establishes a seal or indicator under this subsection, the Secretary shall establish a process for revocation of the seal if the quality of the assessment is not maintained. (e) Innovation awards In carrying out this section, the Secretary may collaborate with relevant Federal agencies to issue awards to providers of training and education programs described in subsection (a) to encourage innovative and promising practices for the purpose of developing, improving, and implementing the most successful methods for addressing the education and training needs of participants in career and technical education programs, including through existing programs at such agencies. 7. Feasibility assessment for manufacturing capacity improvement partnership (a) Assessment and evaluation Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, shall— (1) assess the feasibility and advisability of creating a partnership to improve the manufacturing capacity of the United States; and (2) evaluate options for integration of global business development activities of United States companies into existing Federal programs that facilitate participation by United States businesses in the global marketplace. (b) Report The Secretary of Commerce shall submit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate that contains the results of the assessment and evaluation carried out under subsection (a). 8. Surveys of United States corporations with manufacturing facilities or customer service centers located in foreign countries (a) Improvements to surveys carried out by Bureau of Economic Analysis (1) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, shall improve existing annual surveys and 5-year benchmark surveys conducted by the Bureau of Economic Analysis to gather information about all companies in the United States that own or operate manufacturing or information technology facilities, including customer service facilities outside of the United States, to identify— (A) the dollar value of products manufactured or information technology provided at such facilities by category and by type of product or service; (B) the total employment at such facilities, disaggregated by type of activity or occupation, including the number of full-time employees, part-time employees, contractors, and any other personnel not included on payroll which contribute to such facility; (C) information relevant to geolocate such facilities within the supply chain; and (D) such other information as the Secretary considers may assist in the development of such surveys. (2) Standardization (A) In general In improving surveys as required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall establish a policy to ensure that the findings of the Secretary with respect to each such survey, across all types of companies, use standardized data elements, models, and outcome-based analysis in a manner that assists the Federal Government in better tracking data gathered by the surveys described in such paragraph. (B) North american industry classification system The policy established under subparagraph (A) may include requirements for the use of the North American Industry Classification System and related product classification systems developed by the Bureau of the Census. (3) Coordination The Secretary shall require the Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Director of the Bureau of the Census, the Director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and such other heads of bureaus, offices, and agencies of the Department of Commerce and other Federal agencies that are responsible for collecting and analyzing data relevant to the surveys described in paragraph (1) to share aggregate-level data with each entity collecting data in support of the survey or as part of the surveys described in paragraph (1). (4) Use of technology for more efficient data collection To the degree practicable, the Secretary shall use technology to increase the efficiency of data collected for the surveys described in paragraph (1). (b) Database The Secretary shall make available all of the aggregate-level data generated through the surveys described in subsection (a)(1) to— (1) the Data.gov Internet website, or any successor Federal Internet website that centralizes Government-wide data and statistics or seeks to improve the performance of the Federal Government; and (2) the Internet website of the Department of Commerce. (c) Reports (1) Findings and analysis The Secretary shall submit to Congress the findings and analysis of the Secretary with respect to the surveys improved under subsection (a) along with other reports the Secretary is otherwise required to submit to Congress. (2) Recommendations As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress specific short-term and long-term recommendations regarding— (A) longitudinal trends in United States manufacturing and the creation or repatriation of manufacturing and information technology jobs to the United States; (B) legislative action to improve the competitiveness of United States manufacturing and information technology, including specific recommendations which relate to ongoing efforts of the Federal Government to improve the competitiveness of United States manufacturing and information technology; and (C) such other criteria as the Secretary considers appropriate, including coordination with ongoing regional or State strategies for economic development and job growth. (d) Confidentiality protections Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, all data collected through the surveys improved under subsection (a) shall remain subject to the confidentiality protections established with respect to such surveys under the provisions of law authorizing or requiring such surveys. (e) Penalty Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a corporation that is invited to participate in a survey described in subsection (a)(1) but refuses to participate in such survey shall not be eligible to enter into any contract or to renew any contract with the United States, receive any grant from the Federal Government, or act as a subcontractor or subgrantee with respect to such a contract or grant. 9. National Academy of Sciences recommendations for improving advanced manufacturing (a) Agreement Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to perform the services covered by this section. (b) Development of recommendations (1) In general Under an agreement between the Secretary and the National Academy of Sciences under this section, the National Academy of Sciences shall develop recommendations for improving the competitive capabilities of United States industrial facilities. (2) Elements The study shall include the following: (A) Consideration of the benefits of— (i) the innovative application of advanced manufacturing technologies, processes, and methods for product design and production, including rapid development of prototypes, scalability of new products, and technology; (ii) commercialization of research funded by university research programs; and (iii) such other issues as the National Academy of Sciences considers relevant to improving the competitive capabilities of United States industrial facilities. (B) An analysis of the issues in implementing improvements to United States industrial facilities. (C) Recommendations on how the issues described in subparagraph (B) can be mitigated or promoted. (3) Considerations In developing recommendations pursuant to paragraph (1), the National Academy of Sciences shall consider the following: (A) The ongoing efforts of the President to create jobs in the United States by improving the ability of United States manufacturing facilities to compete in the global economy. (B) The reorganization of Federal departments and agencies. (C) Measures undertaken by Congress to reduce the deficit. (c) Reports Not later than 1 year after the development of the recommendations under this section, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to Congress a report describing such recommendations. (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section. 10. Assessment of distortive economic policies (a) Biennial report of United States international trade commission (1) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than once every 2 years thereafter, the United States International Trade Commission shall submit a report to Congress and the President that quantifies the effects of distortive or discriminatory economic policies of foreign countries, inclusive of any overarching policy or systematic approach, such as discrimination against United States companies, trading monopolies, restrictive government procurement policies or practices, tax policies or preferences, foreign direct investment policies or practices, standards or subsidies, restrictive domestic financial policies, and intellectual property theft in terms of their potential adverse effect on the economic or commercial interests of United States industries, producers, and employees as outlined in the National Trade Estimate. The Commission shall assess the effects of countries, practices, and industries in the National Trade Estimate, and other existing trade reports if appropriate, that are commercially significant and pose the greatest potential opportunity or threat to the United States over the next 10 years. (2) Elements Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) Qualitative indicators of specific policies and practices that may be unfair, distortive, or anti-competitive carried out by specific foreign countries and an assessment of the relative significance of such policies and practices. (B) An assessment of resources spent in foreign countries that are being used to preclude exports of United States goods and services, United States interests, or to support the development of technologies, manufacturing base, and businesses that compete directly with United States businesses. (3) Facilitation To assist in the preparation of each report required by paragraph (1), the Commission shall facilitate the reporting by interested persons of distortive economic policies and practices, where possible. (b) Report by Comptroller General of the United States Not later than 1 year after the initial International Trade Commission report which includes the requirements under this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report that— (1) assesses the effectiveness of— (A) the recommendations carried out or implemented by trade agencies including actions taken to mitigate distortive economic policies and practices of countries, with emphasis on the most egregious problems; and (B) recommendations identified by such agencies that were not carried out or were unsuccessful; (2) identifies gaps in trade or foreign economic policies of the United States which should be addressed by the executive branch or by legislation; and (3) identifies agencies or programs which have successfully implemented policies to discourage distortive economic activities, including— (A) specific steps taken by each program to reduce such policies and practices; (B) recommendations on how these entities can improve their awareness and monitoring of distortive economic policies or practices and develop programs to discourage their use; and (C) other information which may help inform efforts to develop programs to combat these policies and practices. 11. Limitation on Government printing costs Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall coordinate with the heads of Federal departments and independent agencies— (1) to determine which Government publications could be available on Government Internet websites and no longer printed; (2) to devise a strategy to reduce overall Government printing costs over the 10-year period beginning on the first day of the first fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act, except that the Director shall ensure that essential printed documents prepared for social security recipients, Medicare beneficiaries, and other populations in areas with limited Internet access or use continue to remain available; (3) to establish Government-wide Federal guidelines on employee printing; (4) to issue on the Office of Management and Budget’s public Internet website the results of a cost-benefit analysis on implementing a digital signature system and on establishing employee printing identification systems, such as the use of individual employee cards or codes; and (5) to monitor the amount of printing done by Federal employees, except that the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall ensure that Federal employee printing costs unrelated to national defense, homeland security, border security, national disasters, and other emergencies do not exceed $860,000,000 annually.