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Tom Reed’s Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act, or “RAMI,” passed the House today with a strong showing of support from Members on both sides of the aisle. Reed has been a tireless advocate for U.S. manufacturing through his bill to create manufacturing innovation hubs across the country and has spent the last year meeting with district manufacturers for input and educating Members of Congress on the need to stay on the cutting edge of manufacturing in America.

“We’re thrilled to have such overwhelming bipartisan support for our bill to create high-tech, high-paying manufacturing jobs for Americans,” Tom Reed said. “These are the kinds of jobs that will give generations to come the opportunity to create and innovate right here at home – not across the ocean. I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together with my colleagues Rep. Joe Kennedy and Senators Roy Blunt and Sherrod Brown. Our shared vision sets the stage for an American manufacturing renaissance and will position the United States in the best way possible to be the world leader in advanced manufacturing. In this economy, Americans need something to come together on, something to unite around to fight for jobs. RAMI is that uniting initiative.”

“In every corner of our country, the transformation of the manufacturing industry is creating jobs and expanding access to opportunity for millions of Americans,” said Congressman Kennedy (D-MA). “Today’s bipartisan passage of RAMI by the House of Representatives is another step towards the kind of domestic manufacturing policy our country needs to stay on the cutting edge of a global economy. I am grateful for Congressman Reed’s partnership on this bill and look forward to supporting Senators Brown and Blunt as it progresses through the Senate.”

Tom Reed and Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA) introduced RAMI as a way to re-establish the United States as the global leader in manufacturing. The bill creates a national network of regionally-based hubs to improve the competiveness of American manufacturing and increase U.S. production. The hubs are public-private partnerships among colleges and universities and manufacturers of all sizes designed to bridge the country’s skills gap and bring research and development and commercialization back to the forefront of American manufacturing.

“RAMI is more than a bill,” Reed continued, “it’s an opportunity for the United States to bring jobs back to our shores so that we can ‘make it here and sell it there.’ The nation as a whole will benefit from the skilled workforce, innovative manufacturers and some of the best education and research institutes in the country that RAMI brings together. Today’s successful passage is the result of bipartisan partnership and countless input from industry leaders and colleagues on both sides of the aisle.”

With 100 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House and broad industry support, Reed’s bill cleared the final hurdle in July for today’s vote in the House, passing the House Committee on Science in a unanimous vote. Today’s overwhelming vote in the House bodes well for a vote in the Senate.

"This bipartisan bill would put more people back to work by bringing together public and private agencies, businesses, universities, and other organizations to revitalize American manufacturing and innovation," said Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), who introduced the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act with U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (Ohio) in the U.S. Senate. “I'm very pleased my House colleagues passed this common-sense, bipartisan provision, and I continue to urge Majority Leader Reid to allow a vote in the Senate as soon as possible.”

“This bill keeps innovation and production here at home,” said Senator Brown (D-OH). “Our nation is most successful when we work together – and a Network for Manufacturing Innovation would foster public-private partnerships that give small businesses, industry leaders, and research institutions the tools they need to compete on a global scale. These regional, industry-led hubs will leverage local expertise and will create thousands of high-paying, high-tech manufacturing jobs for American workers.”

In April, RAMI passed the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously where Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) are sponsors of the bill. Now that the bill has passed the House, the Senate will need to approve the legislation before it can be signed into law by the President.

The White House has already signaled strong support for the bill, with the President highlighting RAMI as a vehicle for job creation and growth among American manufacturers in his State of the Union address and reiterating his support earlier this year at the White House saying he hopes to see Reed’s bill become law.

Reed continues to meet with local manufacturers about the bill and has met with a wide range of district manufacturers over the past year about the bill including Lufkin-RMT, Nucor, Cameron Manufacturing, Cutco, Nestle-Purina, Dresser-Rand and Cummins. Reed’s House Manufacturing Caucus also held a panel discussion on the bill, bringing in industry experts to help educate members and move the bill forward in the House.

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