Bustos Applauds Announcement Of New Job-Creating Illinois-Based Manufacturing Innovation Institute

Press Release

Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) joined President Obama, other members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, and other leaders from across Illinois at the White House to formally announce a first-of-its-kind national Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation (DMDI) Institute (or Digital Lab) organized by the Department of Defense (DoD) that will be based in Illinois. This new initiative, which could create thousands of good jobs across the state, is funded by a $70 million DoD grant and $250 million from a consortium of hundreds of industry, academic, government, community and organizational supporters and partners throughout Illinois and the country.

Last year during the President's trip to Galesburg, Bustos personally urged him aboard Air Force One to bring the Digital Lab to Illinois. Bustos also helped lead a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to secure today's grant that can be found HERE.

"Growing our economy, creating jobs and bolstering American manufacturing have been my focus since taking office, and why I personally urged President Obama last year in Galesburg to bring this new Digital Lab to Illinois," said Congresswoman Bustos. "I couldn't be more pleased by this important announcement today and believe it will lead to our region being home to even more of the good-paying and innovative manufacturing and research jobs of the future."

Partners in the new Digital Lab from Illinois' 17th Congressional District include, but are not limited to, the Quad Cities Manufacturing Lab, John Deere, Western Illinois University -- Engineer Campus, Black Hawk Community College, McLaughlin Body Company, Caterpillar, the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Bradley University, Ingenium, Rockford ID Shop, and the Rockford Area Economic Development Council.

In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama proposed a series of new manufacturing institutes each designed to serve as a regional hub that will build on recent manufacturing gains by bringing together innovative research with product development with the goal of making American factories smarter, faster and more efficient. The Department of Defense is the lead agency on the Digital Lab that was awarded to Illinois today.

Leveraging the Midwest's unique capabilities, partnerships and workforce, the Digital Lab will develop innovative solutions that transform both defense and civilian industries with hundreds of billions in annual savings. Because many of the new jobs created will require new skills that the workforce must follow, the Digital Lab will also serve as a vehicle for workforce development, through partnerships with trade associations, community colleges, and local economic development organizations. By increasing transparency and lowering barriers, digital manufacturing technologies will create new opportunities for small manufacturers and create high-wage, high-skilled jobs for American workers.

More detailed information on today's announcement can be found HERE.

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