U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited Harper International in Lancaster Monday to announce the “Made in America Manufacturing Act.” It’s the Senator’s first bill to go before the new Congress.
The bill is expected to boost high-tech manufacturing in the state through a competitive program that awards selected state and regional partnerships with around $2 million in federal funding. Gillibrand said the partnerships will need to make a strong case in order to access the funds.
“First, the localities would be able to create a revolving loan fund that provides manufacturers with low-interest loans. These loans could be used to expand a business, to upgrade facilities, to re-tool operations. Second, the funding would be used to create job training programs that insure that our workers are trained for jobs that are needed now and tomorrow,”
The funding would also connect innovative small suppliers with larger companies.
“If you look at all across New York we are excelling at advanced manufacturing. We are seeing job growth in bio-tech, nano-teach and in energy technology and a lot of jobs are coming back from China, because when you have to make something that has to be right the first time you make it, we can compete on cost,”
Gillibrand said the bill will link the partnerships with colleges across the State to get young people interested in manufacturing careers and create apprenticeships for people to find their desired skill set.