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"Why Are We Losing These Factories?" Nat. Manufacturing Strategy Hearing in Congress

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By Dave Johnson

July 14, 2010 - 3:22pm ET


The ManufactureThis blog is liveblogging the hearing on the National Manufacturing Strategy Act of 2010 before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Actually this really is something that is interesting and important because it is about jobs, debt, trade, national security and making things in America. Other countries have national economic/manufacturing strategies and we don't, which is why manufacturing has been declining here and the good jobs have been moving out of the country.

Details of the specific bill, HR 4692, National Manufacturing Strategy Act of 2010, are here,

The aim of the strategy, to be issued every four years, is to harmonize manufacturing policy across the government and ensure that it is unified, coherent, forward-looking, and results-oriented. It would yield specific goals and recommendations for all levels of government and the private sector. The Government Accountability Office would be tasked with reviewing the strategy development process and analyzing the implementation of recommendations. In addition, the National Academies of Science would be required to conduct periodic in-depth studies on manufacturing and related issues to aid policymakers in their quadrennial review.

Testifying at the hearing are:

  • Aneesh Chopra, Associate Director for Technology and Chief Technology Officer, Office of Science and Technology Policy
  • Bill Hickey, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lapham-Hickey Steel Co.
  • Scott N. Paul, Executive Director, Alliance for American Manufacturing
  • Mark Gordon, Director, Defense Research Programs, National Center for Advanced Technologies
  • Owen E. Herrnstadt, Director, Trade and Globalization, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
  • Kevin A. Hassett, Senior Fellow and Director of Economic Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute

    Scott Paul of the Alliance for American Manufacturing says in his statement,

    "The idea of a manufacturing strategy is hardly a radical concept. Alexander Hamilton constructed America’s first industrial policy in 1791. Setbacks during the War of 1812 due to a lack of domestic capacity to build naval vessels and military equipment cemented the determination of the federal government to grow manufacturing, a policy that continued until the end of World War II."

    In his testimony Paul referenced an AAM poll that shows widespread support for a national manufacturing policy.

    See this video about the poll:


    Bill Hickey of Lapham-Hickey Steel, “Why did we have this huge drop in jobs in just 10 years? Why are we losing these factories?”




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    Views expressed on this page are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Campaign for America's Future or Institute for America's Future

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