Visit features announcement of new bipartisan “Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act” to create manufacturing jobs
Gillibrand and Hanna’s Legislation Would Put Designated “Manufacturing Communities” like the Mohawk Valley Region in Front of the Line to Receive Federal Economic Development Funding
Marcy, NY – On Friday, May 27th at 12:20 PM, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Richard Hanna will tour Candella’s Farm and announce their new bipartisan Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act legislation. The legislation would grow the manufacturing industry in Upstate New York by creating a permanent program that designates local regions as “Manufacturing Communities,” which would put them in the front of the line to receive federal economic development funding specifically for the purpose of investing in manufacturing. Getting designated a Manufacturing Community would help grow and expand the region’s food and beverage manufacturing sector and create more jobs.
Date: Friday, May 27
Time: 12:20 PM
Location: Candella’s Farm and Greenhouses, 9256 River Road, Marcy
Gillibrand and Hanna’s bill would create a permanent program to competitively award regions with the “Manufacturing Community” designation. This designation would give these communities preferred consideration when applying for up to $1.3 billion in currently available federal economic development funding for manufacturing. This legislation encourages a regionally-driven approach to strengthening the manufacturing industry. To compete for funding through this program and earn the “Manufacturing Communities” designation, communities would create regional partnerships with key stakeholders such as local and state economic development officials, local governments, manufacturers, labor organizations, and higher education or other training providers.
In order to earn the Manufacturing Communities designation, communities would demonstrate the significance of manufacturing in their region and develop strategies to utilize their “Manufacturing Communities” designation in making investments in six areas:
- Workforce training and retraining;
- Advanced research;
- Infrastructure and site development;
- Supply chain support;
- Promotion of exports and foreign direct investment; and
- Operational improvement and capital access for manufacturers that supports energy or process efficiency, equipment or facility upgrades, the development of business incubators, among other activities.
The bipartisan legislation is cosponsored by Senators Mark Kirk (R-IL), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), and in the House of Representatives by David Cicilline (D-RI), Tom Reed (R-NY), Tim Ryan (D-OH), John Katko (R-NY), Cheri Bustros (D-IL), John Garamendi (D-CA), and Lloyd Doggett (D-TX).