Bill Text: NJ AR168 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress and President to enact "Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-09-19 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee [AR168 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-AR168-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ERIC HOUGHTALING
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress and President to enact "Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging Congress and the President of the United States to enact the "Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015."
Whereas, The proposed federal "Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015" sponsored by Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware, introduced in the United States Senate as S.771 on March 18, 2015, addresses the importance for institutions of higher education to emphasize manufacturing in their research, engineering, and business curriculum; and
Whereas, In the past two decades, the United States lost more than one-third of its manufacturing workforce as companies abandoned their plants and laid-off millions of workers in favor of low-cost foreign countries; and
Whereas, According to the Wall Street Journal, despite a long decline of the manufacturing workforce in the United States, manufacturing employment has grown slightly in recent years as the auto industry rebounded and domestic plants became more cost-competitive with those of other countries; and
Whereas, Reviving the manufacturing sector in the United States is crucial for a more prosperous economy, due to the fact that manufacturing requires processes, materials, and work skills, which in turn creates employment and enhances profits; and
Whereas, While American workers are creative, industrious risk-takers, and among the world's most productive, many lack the education and skills needed to secure high-paying jobs in the fast-paced, technology-intensive global economy; and
Whereas, The proposed federal legislation directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to designate up to 25 institutions of higher education as "United States manufacturing universities" (university) and funds each university's plans for improving manufacturing in its State. Under the bill, a university would emphasize manufacturing in its curricula, forge partnerships with companies, and increase student internships with manufacturers; and
Whereas, It is imperative, therefore, that Congress and the President of the United States enact the "Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015," in order to promote a more prosperous economy by creating more skilled high-paying manufacturing jobs in the United States; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The General Assembly of the State of New Jersey respectfully urges Congress and the President of the United States to enact the "Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015."
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President and Vice-President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, United States Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware, and to every member of the New Jersey's Congressional delegation.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully urges Congress and the President of the United States to enact the federal "Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015," introduced in the United States Senate as S.771 on March 18, 2015 and sponsored by Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware. The bill addresses the importance for institutions of higher education to emphasize manufacturing in their research, engineering, and business curriculum.
In the past two decades, the United States lost more than one-third of its manufacturing workforce as companies abandoned their plants and laid-off millions of workers in favor of low-cost foreign countries. Despite this long decline of the manufacturing workforce in the United States, manufacturing employment in recent years has grown slightly, and researchers argue that efforts toward reviving the manufacturing sector in the United States is crucial for a more prosperous economy.
The federal legislation would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology to designate 25 institutions of higher education as "United States manufacturing universities" (university) and would fund each university's plans for improving manufacturing in its State. Under the bill, a university would emphasize manufacturing in its curricula, forge partnerships with companies, and increase student internships with manufacturers.
Therefore, it is important that Congress and the President of the United States enact the "Manufacturing Universities Act of 2015," in order to promote a more prosperous economy through investing in higher education to create more skilled high-paying manufacturing jobs in the United States.
