Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester highlights items to better protect the supply chain in recently passed House bill.
Rochester held a virtual conversation with Delaware stakeholders - including representatives from DuPont, Del Tech, the United Steelworkers, and Kent County- on the America Competes Act of 2022, highlighting the items she supported to put the focus on bolstering supply chains.
The bill would establish the Office of Manufacturing Security and Resilience within the Department of Commerce, responsible for leading a government wide effort to strengthen supply chains critical to the country’s economy and national security.
Rochester adds the bill would equip the private sector with the best practices and guidelines needed to identify and mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities.
"It ensures that the office maps and monitors supply chains, identifies gaps in vulnerabilities within those supply chains, and identifies opportunities to address supply chain risk," said Rochester.
The legislation would also provide $45 billion for financial assistance to support supply chain resilience and manufacturing of American goods.
Rochester says another way to prevent supply chain issues is to make products here in the U.S.
"I want to make sure that if we can make it in America, let's Make It in America. It's the best way to prevent these disruptions from impacting us again in the future,” said Rochester. “And as the co-founder of the bipartisan Future Work Caucus that's exactly what I've been focusing on, how to make our supply chains more competitive, reliable, and sustainable."
The legislation passed in the House, but Rochester says the Senate passed its own version - requiring the two chambers to come together for reconciliation to deliver one final bill.
