What This Bill Does
This bill requires the Secretary of Commerce to create a new National Manufacturing Advisory Council within the Department of Commerce. The council will bring together government officials and manufacturing experts to discuss problems facing the manufacturing industry and provide advice on federal policies affecting manufacturing.
Who It Affects
The Secretary of Commerce and other federal agency leaders. Manufacturing companies, workers, and labor organizations. Academic institutions. Standards development organizations and trade associations in manufacturing. State and local workforce development boards.
Key Provisions
• The Secretary of Commerce must establish the National Manufacturing Advisory Council within 180 days of the bill becoming law, after consulting with the Secretaries of Labor, Defense, and Energy, the U.S. Trade Representative, and the Secretary of Education (Sec. 2(b)).
• The council will have no more than 30 members appointed by the Secretary, including people from private manufacturing companies, academia, and labor organizations (Sec. 2(e)).
• Council members serve 3-year terms and can be renewed for up to 2 additional terms (Sec. 2(e)).
• The council must meet at least once every 180 days to give the Secretary independent advice on manufacturing issues (Sec. 2(d)).
• The council must produce a national strategic plan for manufacturing every year and send it to the Secretary and Congress (Sec. 2(g)).
What Changes
The United States Manufacturing Council of the International Trade Administration will be renamed and transferred to become the new National Manufacturing Advisory Council (Sec. 2(f)). Any existing federal advisory committee in the Department of Commerce with the same purpose can become this new council if it is modified to follow these rules (Sec. 2(f)).
Important Definitions
• Rural area: An area located outside a metropolitan statistical area as designated by the Office of Management and Budget.
• Economically distressed area: An area that meets requirements described in the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965.
Effective Date
The Secretary must establish the council within 180 days after this bill becomes law (Sec. 2(b)). The council will automatically end on September 30 of the fifth year after it holds its first meeting (Sec. 2(j)).
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
S. 1153
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish the Na-
tional Manufacturing Advisory Council within the De-
partment of Commerce, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
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† S 1153 ES
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
1
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Manufac-
2
turing Advisory Council for the 21st Century Act’’.
3
SEC. 2. NATIONAL MANUFACTURING ADVISORY COUNCIL.
4
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
5
(1) ADVISORY COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Advisory
6
Council’’ means the National Manufacturing Advi-
7
sory Council established under subsection (b).
8
(2)
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
9
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
10
gress’’ means—
11
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science,
12
and Transportation of the Senate;
13
(B) the Committee on Health, Education,
14
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate;
15
(C) the Committee on Energy and Natural
16
Resources of the Senate;
17
(D) the Committee on Armed Services of
18
the Senate;
19
(E) the Committee on Appropriations of
20
the Senate;
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(F) the Committee on Small Business and
22
Entrepreneurship of the Senate;
23
(G) the Committee on Energy and Com-
24
merce of the House of Representatives;
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† S 1153 ES
(H) the Committee on Education and
1
Labor of the House of Representatives;
2
(I) the Committee on Science, Space, and
3
Technology of the House of Representatives;
4
(J) the Committee on Armed Services of
5
the House of Representatives;
6
(K) the Committee on Appropriations of
7
the House of Representatives; and
8
(L) the Committee on Small Business of
9
the House of Representatives.
10
(3) ECONOMICALLY
DISTRESSED
AREA.—The
11
term ‘‘economically distressed area’’ means an area
12
that meets 1 or more of the requirements described
13
in section 301(a) of the Public Works and Economic
14
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3161(a)).
15
(4) RURAL
AREA.—The term ‘‘rural area’’
16
means an area located outside a metropolitan statis-
17
tical area, as designated by the Office of Manage-
18
ment and Budget.
19
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
20
the Secretary of Commerce.
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(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after
22
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in con-
23
sultation with the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of De-
24
fense, the Secretary of Energy, the United States Trade
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† S 1153 ES
Representative, and the Secretary of Education, shall es-
1
tablish within the Department of Commerce the National
2
Manufacturing Advisory Council.
3
(c) MISSION.—The mission of the Advisory Council
4
shall be to—
5
(1) provide a forum for—
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(A) regular communication between the
7
Federal Government and the manufacturing
8
sector, including manufacturing workers, in the
9
United States; and
10
(B) discussing and proposing solutions to
11
problems relating to the manufacturing sector
12
in the United States, including the manufac-
13
turing workforce, supply chain interruptions,
14
and regulatory and other logistical challenges;
15
(2) advise the Secretary regarding policies and
16
programs of the Federal Government that affect
17
manufacturing, including the manufacturing work-
18
force, in the United States; and
19
(3) annually produce a national strategic plan,
20
as described in subsection (g), that provides rec-
21
ommendations to the Secretary and the appropriate
22
committees of Congress regarding how to help the
23
United States remain the preeminent destination
24
throughout the world for investment in manufac-
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† S 1153 ES
turing, which shall be based on the execution of the
1
duties of the Advisory Council.
2
(d) DUTIES.—The duties of the Advisory Council
3
shall include the following:
4
(1) Meeting not less frequently than once every
5
180 days, in a manner to be determined by the Sec-
6
retary and that is in compliance with chapter 10 of
7
title 5, United States Code, in order to provide inde-
8
pendent advice and recommendations to the Sec-
9
retary regarding issues involving manufacturing in
10
the United States.
11
(2) Identifying and assessing the impact that
12
technological developments, critical production ca-
13
pacity, skill availability, investment patterns, and
14
emerging defense needs have on the manufacturing
15
competitiveness of the United States and providing
16
advice and recommendations to the Secretary re-
17
garding that impact.
18
(3) Soliciting input from the public and private
19
sectors and academia relating to emerging trends in
20
manufacturing, and the responsiveness of Federal
21
programming with respect to manufacturing, and
22
providing advice and recommendations to the Sec-
23
retary for areas of increased Federal attention with
24
respect to manufacturing.
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† S 1153 ES
(4) Identifying, and providing advice and rec-
1
ommendations to the Secretary regarding, global
2
and domestic manufacturing trends, including on
3
matters such as supply chain interruptions, logistical
4
challenges, and demographic and technological
5
changes affecting the manufacturing base in the
6
United States.
7
(5) Providing advice and recommendations to
8
the Secretary on matters relating to investment in,
9
and support of, the manufacturing workforce in the
10
United States, including on matters such as—
11
(A) worker participation in planning for
12
the deployment of new technologies across the
13
manufacturing sector in the United States and
14
within workplaces in that sector;
15
(B) training and education priorities for
16
the Federal Government and employers to as-
17
sist workers in adapting the skills and experi-
18
ences of those workers to fit the demands of the
19
manufacturing sector in the United States in
20
the 21st century;
21
(C) how the development of new tech-
22
nologies and processes have impacted, and will
23
impact, the manufacturing workforce of the
24
United States and the economy of the United
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† S 1153 ES
States, which shall be based on input from
1
manufacturing workers;
2
(D) policies and procedures that expand
3
access to jobs, career advancement opportuni-
4
ties, and management opportunities in the man-
5
ufacturing sector in the United States for low-
6
income individuals in the United States, or new
7
entrants into that sector, in both urban and
8
rural areas; and
9
(E) how to improve access to demand-driv-
10
en manufacturing-related education, training,
11
and re-training for workers, including at com-
12
munity and technical colleges, through other in-
13
stitutions of higher education and through ap-
14
prenticeships and work-based learning opportu-
15
nities.
16
(6) Providing recommendations to the Secretary
17
on ways to—
18
(A) provide—
19
(i) manufacturing-related worker edu-
20
cation, training, and development; and
21
(ii) entrepreneurship training relating
22
to manufacturing;
23
(B) connect individuals and businesses
24
with services described in subparagraph (A)
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† S 1153 ES
that are offered in the communities of those in-
1
dividuals or businesses;
2
(C) coordinate services relating to manu-
3
facturing employee engagement, including em-
4
ployee ownership and workforce training;
5
(D) connect manufacturers with commu-
6
nity and technical colleges, other institutions of
7
higher education, State or local workforce devel-
8
opment boards established under section 101 or
9
107 of the Workforce Innovation and Oppor-
10
tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3111, 3122), labor orga-
11
nizations, and nonprofit job training providers
12
to develop and support training and job place-
13
ment services, and apprenticeship and online
14
learning platforms, for new and incumbent
15
manufacturing workers;
16
(E) integrate new technologies and proc-
17
esses into the manufacturing sector in the
18
United States and address the workforce im-
19
pacts of those new technologies and processes;
20
and
21
(F) develop best practices for manufactur-
22
ers to incorporate, or transition to, employee
23
ownership structures.
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† S 1153 ES
(7) With respect to the matters described in
1
paragraphs (1) through (6), soliciting input from—
2
(A) economically distressed areas;
3
(B) geographically diverse regions of the
4
United States, including both urban and rural
5
areas; and
6
(C) areas of the United States that have
7
suffered mass layoffs in the manufacturing sec-
8
tor.
9
(8) Identifying Federal, State, or other regula-
10
tions that may have caused, or will cause, unneces-
11
sary supply chain disruptions, impaired business op-
12
erations, increased prices, or other costly burdens
13
for consumers and the manufacturing sector in the
14
United States and recommending to the Secretary
15
steps to—
16
(A) mitigate those consequences; and
17
(B) foster an environment in the United
18
States that is favorable to manufacturers, man-
19
ufacturing workers, and consumers.
20
(9) Completing other specific tasks requested by
21
the Secretary.
22
(e) MEMBERSHIP.—
23
(1)
IN
GENERAL.—The
Advisory
Council
24
shall—
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† S 1153 ES
(A) consist of not more than 30 individuals
1
appointed by the Secretary with a balance of
2
backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints; and
3
(B) include individuals with manufacturing
4
experience who represent—
5
(i) private industry, including small
6
and medium-sized manufacturers and any
7
relevant standards development organiza-
8
tions or relevant trade associations;
9
(ii) academia; and
10
(iii) labor.
11
(2) PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary
12
shall, to the maximum extent practicable, accept rec-
13
ommendations from the public regarding the ap-
14
pointment of individuals under paragraph (1).
15
(3) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT; VACANCIES.—
16
(A) IN GENERAL.—Each member of the
17
Advisory Council shall be appointed by the Sec-
18
retary for a term of 3 years.
19
(B) RENEWAL.—The Secretary may renew
20
an appointment made under subparagraph (A)
21
for not more than 2 additional terms.
22
(C) STAGGER TERMS.—The Secretary may
23
stagger the terms of the members of the Advi-
24
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† S 1153 ES
sory Council to ensure that the terms of those
1
members expire during different years.
2
(D) VACANCIES.—
3
(i) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to clause
4
(ii), a member appointed to fill a vacancy
5
on the Advisory Council occurring before
6
the expiration of the term for which the
7
predecessor of the newly appointed member
8
was appointed shall be appointed only for
9
the remainder of that term of the prede-
10
cessor.
11
(ii) FURTHER
SERVICE.—A member
12
of the Advisory Council who is appointed
13
for the remainder of a term of a prede-
14
cessor under clause (i) may serve after the
15
expiration of that term of the predecessor
16
and until the date on which the Secretary
17
has appointed a successor.
18
(f) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.—
19
(1) IN GENERAL.—All functions of the United
20
States Manufacturing Council of the International
21
Trade Administration of the Department of Com-
22
merce, as in existence on the day before the date of
23
enactment of this Act, shall be transferred to the
24
Advisory Council.
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† S 1153 ES
(2) DEEMING OF NAME.—Any reference in any
1
law, regulation, document, paper, or other record of
2
the United States to the United States Manufac-
3
turing Council of the International Trade Adminis-
4
tration of the Department of Commerce shall be
5
deemed a reference to the Advisory Council.
6
(3) EXISTING
ADVISORY
COMMITTEE.—Any
7
Federal advisory committee of the Department of
8
Commerce that is operating on the day before the
9
date of enactment of this Act under a charter filed
10
in accordance with section 1008(c) of title 5, United
11
States Code, for the purpose of addressing the pur-
12
poses and duties described in this section shall sat-
13
isfy the requirement under subsection (b) to estab-
14
lish the Advisory Council if, not later than 180 days
15
after that date of enactment, the Federal advisory
16
committee is modified, as necessary, to comply with
17
the requirements of this section.
18
(g) NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN.—Not later than
19
180 days after the date on which the Advisory Council
20
holds the initial meeting of the Advisory Council, and an-
21
nually thereafter, the Advisory Council shall submit to the
22
Secretary and the appropriate committees of Congress—
23
(1) a national strategic plan for manufacturing
24
in the United States that is based on the execution
25
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† S 1153 ES
of the duties of the Advisory Council under sub-
1
section (d); and
2
(2) a detailed statement of the activities that
3
the Advisory Council conducted to carry out the du-
4
ties of the Advisory Council under subsection (d).
5
(h) DEPARTMENTAL SUPPORT.—In accordance with
6
prevailing laws and regulations, the Secretary, as the Sec-
7
retary considers appropriate, shall furnish to the Advisory
8
Council relevant information that—
9
(1) is in the possession of the Department of
10
Commerce; and
11
(2) relates to the mission of the Advisory Coun-
12
cil.
13
(i) NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.—No addi-
14
tional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry
15
out this section.
16
(j) SUNSET.—The Advisory Council shall terminate
17
on September 30 of the fifth year after the year in which
18
the Advisory Council holds the first meeting of the Advi-
19
sory Council.
20
Passed the Senate November 21 (legislative day, No-
vember 20), 2024.
Attest:
Secretary.
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
S. 1153
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish
the National Manufacturing Advisory Council
within the Department of Commerce, and for
other purposes.