Manufacturing bill clears U.S. House
By Cindy Wojdyla Cain ccain@stmedianetwork.com September 13, 2012 1:00PM
Updated: October 15, 2012 9:51AM
As predicted on Tuesday, a bipartisan bill designed boost U.S. manufacturing passed in the House on Wednesday by an overwhelming majority.
The vote was 339-7 for the bill that was co-sponsored by two local congressmen, U.S. Reps. Dan Lipinski, D-Western Springs, and Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon.
Now, the measure titled The American Manufacturing and Competitiveness Act will go to the Senate for a vote, which could happen before the end of the year.
The act would create a 15-person committee made up of both parties and public and private representatives. The group would draft advisory recommendations by 2014 that would target tax laws, federal policies, educational issues and research arenas in an effort to enhance manufacturing and create more U.S. jobs, the congressmen have said.
“At a time when the political environment is highly polarized and Congress is not doing much besides bickering, I am especially proud to have moved this bipartisan bill forward in order to commit our nation to boosting manufacturing and growing jobs for the middle class,” Lipinski said.
