Blunt Rochester Joined By Delaware Stakeholders For Conversation On Supply Chain And The America Competes Act

Statement

Today, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) held a virtual conversation with Delaware stakeholders to discuss issues impacting our domestic supply chain and how provisions authored by Blunt Rochester in the America COMPETES Act can help. Joining Blunt Rochester for the conversation was Dr. Paul Morris, Associate Vice President of Workforce Development and Community Education at Delaware Technical Community College, Ken Gomeringer, Staff Representative for United Steelworkers District 4, Shane Warren, Head of Global Government Affairs at DuPont , Henrik Ancher Jensen, Senior Vice President and President of Order Fulfillment and Supply Chain for Agilent, and Linda Parkowski, Executive Director for the Kent Economic Partnership. H.R. 4521, the America COMPETES Act of 2022, which Blunt Rochester voted for passage on February 2, 2022, is a comprehensive package to bolster America's global economic competitiveness. The package also includes bipartisan provisions, the Building Resilient Supply Chains Act, authored by Blunt Rochester. These provisions bolster America's supply chains and onshoring the production of critical components of consumer goods.

"Expanding our domestic supply chain capacity so we can make critical goods at home is critical to maintaining our country's global competitiveness, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Rep. Blunt Rochester. "The America COMPETES Act recognizes the need for a more competitive, reliable, and sustainable supply chain, and it's why I championed for my bipartisan provisions to be included in the version passed by the House in February. The Building Resilient Supply Chains Act will address what makes our supply chain vulnerable, and institute long-term solutions to help Delaware and the nation. Thank you to the local endorsers of this pivotal provision including W.L. Gore & Associates, DuPont, Agilent, Delaware Technical Community College, Kent Economic Partnership, and Delaware AFL-CIO. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure that this provision remains in the America COMPETES Act and makes it to President Biden's desk for signature."

"W.L. Gore & Associates (Gore) supports provisions in the America COMPETES Act led by Rep. Blunt Rochester that create a new Office of Manufacturing Security and Resilience in the Department of Commerce and authorize access to capital for manufacturers. The office will lead government-wide supply chain efforts, and the access to capital provided should help strengthen the entire supply chain. These provisions should help alleviate current supply chain problems and deter future ones. Gore appreciates the Congresswoman's support for U.S. and Delaware manufacturers." - W.L. Gore & Associates

"We support Rep. Blunt Rochester's efforts to secure America's supply chains and strengthen the country's manufacturing base. Through our operations in Delaware, DuPont is manufacturing sustainable, innovative technologies for the next generation of semiconductors and the future of hybrid and electric vehicles. We strongly encourage policies that strengthen America's manufacturing infrastructure and supply chain resilience. Rep. Blunt Rochester's efforts will strengthen the capability of America's workers and companies to compete globally." - DuPont

"Agilent Technologies, with nearly 1,000 employees in the great State of Delaware and a deep commitment to the First State, strongly supports the supply-chain legislation championed by Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester and applauds her leadership in drawing attention to and championing these measures. This legislation has two critical features that will drive stable job and innovation growth. First, the Department of Commerce will establish a newly formed office to help identify vulnerabilities and gaps in our manufacturing and distribution sector to address problems before they happen. Second, the loans and grants authorized by this legislation are a recognition that developing manufacturing capacity is a sophisticated and capital-intensive activity and that our businesses need support to compete globally, especially in light of the strain of the pandemic and labor shortages and the historic trend of offshoring manufacturing from the United States. Congresswoman Blunt Rochester seeks to address and even reverse growing problems with the United States' supply chain and manufacturing infrastructure, and we are pleased to support her." - Agilent

"To ensure economic vitality of the manufacturing sector we need a healthy functioning supply chain. This bill provides provisions to construct or enhance critical infrastructure or a new manufacturing facility and to relocate a manufacturing facility out of countries of concern and back into our homeland will be a tool to attract manufacturing firms to our area." - Kent Economic Partnership

"Delaware Technical Community College supports the supply chain subtitle in the America COMPETES Act. Strengthening our supply chain is not only key to our nation's economic vitality, but the creation of jobs in our manufacturing sector would be of great benefit to our state. Part of our mission as Delaware's only community college is to be responsive to our labor market and community needs. As part of this work, we train students through both our academic degree and workforce development programs to support Delaware's growing manufacturing sector. If enacted, these provisions will provide new opportunities for our students to enter jobs in the manufacturing sector, while also mitigating our nation's supply chain vulnerabilities. We applaud our own U.S. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester for her leadership on this important legislation." - Delaware Technical Community College

"The Delaware State American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) strongly supports Congresswoman Blunt Rochester's hard work in securing important supply chain provisions in the America COMPETES Act. Everyone in the state and across the country has felt the effects of the supply chain shocks and disruptions over the last couple years - from groceries, auto parts, and tests. Not only are essential items harder to find, but also their limited supply is driving costs up, hurting workers and businesses alike. The supply chain subtitle in the America COMPETES Act will help bring jobs back to America, bolster national security, and increase America's competitiveness. More than ever, we need to fill these good-paying, manufacturing jobs for our members and communities in Delaware to help create long term solutions to these issues." - Delaware AFL-CIO

Blunt Rochester's Building Resilient Supply Chains Act

The America COMPETES Act of 2022 includes provisions from Blunt Rochester's Building Resilient Supply Chains Act. The provisions help ensure that supply chain vulnerabilities can be addressed before they become full-blown crises. Specifically, they:

Establishes the Office of Manufacturing Security and Resilience (Office) within the DOC responsible for leading a government-wide effort to strengthen supply chains critical to the nation's economic vitality and national security.
Commissions the Office to map and monitor supply chains, identify supply chain gaps and vulnerabilities, and identify opportunities to address supply chain risk.
Authorizes $45 billion to the Office to provide grants, loans, and loan guaranties to support supply chain resilience and domestic manufacturing of critical goods, industrial equipment, and manufacturing technology.
Equips the private sector with the best practices and guidelines needed to proactively identify and mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

Source