Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-OR) today applauded an investment award of $414,440 from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to the Mid-Willamette Council of Governments and Strategic Economic Development Corporation for the expansion of advanced manufacturing and jobs. This investment is funded through the Make it in America Challenge, a national competition that seeks to encourage foreign and domestic businesses to build and/or expand their operations in the United States.
The award will support the implementation of a plan to develop industries that utilize advanced manufacturing processes to accelerate, grow and maintain industrial activity within Marion, Polk and Yamhill Counties in western Oregon.
"As a strong supporter of the Make it in America initiative, I am very pleased to see businesses in the rural counties I represent be rewarded for their efforts to remain competitive and hire local workers," Rep. Schrader said. "These federal investments are critical in creating growth opportunities for Oregon companies at a time when many are still experiencing too much economic uncertainty to hire and invest. This will remain the case until Congress addresses our immediate economic recovery and tackles our long-term debt and deficit problems to generate lasting confidence in the U.S. economy."
The goal of this competition is to encourage re-shoring, foster increased foreign direct investment, encourage U.S. companies to keep or expand their businesses--and jobs--here at home and train local workers to meet the needs of those businesses.