H.R. 9931: American Manufacturing Renaissance Act

This bill would create a new federal nonprofit entity, under the Department of Commerce, to coordinate a national plan for rebuilding and expanding U.S. manufacturing. Its main purpose is to develop a strategy, monitor progress, and support local partnerships that bring together manufacturers, labor groups, schools, local governments, community organizations, and environmental groups.

What the new organization would do

The bill establishes a “Manufacturing Reinvestment Corporation” to:

• Develop a national manufacturing strategy within about five months of enactment, and update it every four years.
• Set national goals for manufacturing, including expanding manufacturing’s share of GDP, reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from the sector, closing skills gaps, increasing worker ownership, and improving ownership diversity.
• Review applications for and help establish local “Manufacturing Renaissance Councils” (MRCs).
• Provide grants, technical assistance, and coordination to those local councils.
• Collect reports from the councils and direct changes to programs as needed.

Local Manufacturing Renaissance Councils

The bill would require the corporation to establish at least 30 local councils within five years, selected through a competitive process. These councils would be made up of a mix of stakeholders, including:

• Labor representatives
• Workforce training organizations
• Community and faith groups
• Environmental organizations
• Schools and universities, including minority-serving institutions where applicable
• Local government
• Manufacturing businesses, especially smaller ones
• Economic development organizations

Each council would identify regional manufacturing needs, coordinate local stakeholders, plan programs, and submit annual reports.

Types of activities that could be funded

The bill would authorize the councils to use grant funding for a wide range of activities, including:

• Business retention and early warning work to identify manufacturers at risk of closing, laying off workers, or moving production.
• Assistance with ownership succession, including worker ownership, minority ownership, and women ownership when firms are sold or relocated.
• Capital access programs such as publicly owned banks, revolving loan funds, and other financing tools for small and medium manufacturers.
• Industrial development such as incubators, industrial parks, and environmental remediation for sites.
• Education and training programs from pre-K through college, plus apprenticeships, retraining, literacy, English-language learning, internships, and youth apprenticeships.
• Support services like childcare, transportation, mental health services, substance use treatment, housing help, and help accessing benefits.
• Equity-related support for underrepresented manufacturing entrepreneurs and workers, including mentoring, leadership development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion training.

Administration and oversight

The corporation would be overseen by a board that includes federal officials and presidential appointees representing labor, education, employee ownership, business, faith groups, racial justice, and environmental interests. The board would appoint an executive director and may hire staff. The bill also sets reporting and audit requirements, including annual reports to Congress and annual financial audits.

Funding

The bill authorizes $4 billion per year for fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028. No more than 15% of each year’s funding could be used for administrative expenses. The money would remain available until spent.

Regulations

The Secretary of Commerce, working with other relevant agencies, would be required to publish proposed regulations within 180 days of enactment and final regulations within 12 months.

Relevant Companies

• None found