Congressman Higgins Announces House Approval of the America COMPETES Act
Press Release
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced the approval of the America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing Pre-Eminence in Technology and Economic Strength (COMPETES) Act of 2022 (H.R.4521). This comprehensive legislation includes several bills that have already passed the House, many with bipartisan support, as well as new proposals. The bill serves as the House of Representatives' proposal for a legislative package designed to boost U.S. Competitiveness in response to the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, passed by the Senate in 2021.
"The United States is a historic leader and innovator in science and technology, but it has been 15 years since our last investment in technologies of the future. As a result, we have begun to fall behind," said Congressman Higgins. "The America COMPETES Act is a historic reinvestment in our country that will better prepare us for modern challenges and ensure the security of our economy and community long into the future. This legislation will also create new opportunity for Western New York to help galvanize our tech workforce, and to make sure those job opportunities reach all communities in our district, especially those who have been overlooked and historically underserved."
The COMPETES Act makes critical investments in research, innovation, and American manufacturing to ensure that our economy remains competitive now, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and long term. It accelerates the production of semiconductor chips in the U.S., strengthens supply chains by manufacturing more goods in America, provides a significant boost in the capacity for new technology research nationwide, and advances America's overall global competitiveness. Additionally, it includes key provisions that support labor standards and human rights.
This is a large & wide-ranging bill, providing billions to create jobs and educational opportunities, create new advancements in technology, improve our supply chains, ensure that medical supplies are readily available, and address international trade and human rights abuses. Although this bill includes a broad range of initiatives that support economic competition, there are several provisions that Western New York stands to benefit from.
To address the creation of new jobs and educational opportunities the bill includes the National Apprenticeship Act of 2022, which will create one million new apprenticeship opportunities over the next five years. It also reforms the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program by including the TAA Modernization Act of 2021, which Congressman Higgins helped write as a member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade. This provides nine billion dollars over seven years toward workforce development and support for workers negatively impacted by trade deals. In the past, many hardworking Western New Yorkers lost jobs as a result of bad trade deals. It establishes the Rebuilding Economies and Creating Opportunities for More People to Excel (RECOMPETE) Pilot Program, which provides four billion dollars towards 10-year grants for distressed labor markets, local communities, and tribes, to implement long-term plans to create economic growth. Additionally, the bill will support the next generation of STEM professionals through investments in education at all levels, mentoring, workforce training, lowering barriers to entry for women and minorities, and also makes education more affordable and accessible.
Greater access to education and job training will improve domestic supply chains, which provides long-term benefits for the Western New York community. The bill makes critical investments in supply chains by expanding the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which includes Insyte Consulting locally, and creating two new Manufacturing USA institutes. Additionally, it provides $45 billion in grants and loans for manufacturing of goods, industrial equipment, and technology.
The bill addresses the need for new technology innovation, including several provisions to increase the amount of technology created and manufactured here in the U.S. The Regional Innovation Act provides $7 billion toward a regional technology and innovation hub program, which would provide an opportunity for Western New York to build on the work being done at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, the M&T Tech Hub at Seneca One, the University at Buffalo, and other areas. It also includes in the CHIPS Act, which invests $52 billion to provide manufacturing facilities with the funding necessary for semiconductor fabrication, research and development.
The COVID-19 pandemic made it abundantly clear that we must be prepared for current and future health emergencies. This legislation provides $10.5 billion in grants to states to support their strategic stockpile of commercially available drugs, medical equipment, PPE, and other critical supplies deemed necessary during a public health emergency. It also allows the President to use the Defense Production Act of 1950, which ensures that essential medical materials are available for national security purposes, especially as COVID-19 continues to impact supply chains.
Investments in climate change will support a clean energy future for our community. The bill supports research towards advancing energy storage, solar, hydrogen, critical materials, fusion energy, manufacturing, carbon removal, and bioenergy technologies, among many other areas. Additionally, it provides $3 billion to establish a domestic solar manufacturing supply chain.
Taking action on trade, this comprehensive legislation holds China accountable for its trade abuses and its human rights violations by including sanctions for the genocide against the Uyghurs.
This historic investment is supported by AFL-CIO, the Association of American Universities, Intel, the National Association of American Manufacturers, the White House Office of Management and Budget, the Security Industry Association, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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