Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to reduce the matching funds requirement for participants in the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program (providing services to small and mid-sized manufacturers) from not less than 50% of the costs incurred for the first three years and an increasing share for each of the last three years to no more than 50% of the costs incurred by a participating Regional Center for the Transfer of Manufacturing Technology. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish criteria to determine a Center's cost share.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4393 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4393
To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to reduce the matching
requirement for participants in the Hollings Manufacturing Extension
Partnership Program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 16, 2009
Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. Dingell, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Ryan
of Ohio, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Holden, Mr.
Costello, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Wilson of Ohio, Mr. Stupak, Ms. Fudge, Ms.
Markey of Colorado, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Hare, Ms. Sutton,
Mr. Schauer, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Carney, Mr. Camp, Mr. Inslee, Mr.
Luetkemeyer, Mr. Dent, Mr. Miller of North Carolina, Mr. Fortenberry,
Mrs. Miller of Michigan, Mr. Gingrey of Georgia, Mr. Rogers of
Michigan, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Welch, Mr. Filner,
Mr. Tonko, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Carnahan, Mr. LaTourette, Ms. Kilpatrick of
Michigan, Mr. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mr. Platts, and Mr. Minnick)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Science and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to reduce the matching
requirement for participants in the Hollings Manufacturing Extension
Partnership Program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Manufacturing Extension Partnership services are
available in all 50 States and at 392 locations.
(2) The Manufacturing Extension Partnership delivers
critical services to small and midsized manufacturers,
providing access to public and private resources that enhance
growth, improve productivity, and expand capacity.
(3) The Manufacturing Extension Partnership helps
manufacturers position themselves as strong long-term
competitors in domestic and international markets.
(4) Of the 7 million jobs lost in the recession as of
February 2009, over 2 million were from the manufacturing
sector, and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership reported
creating or retaining over 57,000 manufacturing jobs in the
most recent surveyed year.
(5) The Manufacturing Extension Partnership has delivered
$1.44 billion in cost savings annually and $10.5 billion in
increased or retained sales in a single year.
(6) Every dollar contributed by the Federal Government to
the Manufacturing Extension Partnership is matched 2-to-1 by
State and local governments and participating manufacturers.
(7) The recession has strained many State budgets, and 23
State Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers reported a
decrease or elimination of State funding in 2009.
(8) When a State decreases or eliminates funding for the
Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the cost-share burden is
shifted to small manufacturers who are unlikely to be able to
afford increased contributions during an economic downturn, and
the availability of Manufacturing Extension Partnership
services is jeopardized.
(9) A reduction in the matching requirement for
participants in the Manufacturing Extension Partnership will
greatly alleviate the burden on State budgets and small
manufacturers and preserve the Manufacturing Extension
Partnership's ability to provide critical services to small
manufacturers and create much-needed jobs in the manufacturing
sector.
SEC. 2. HOLLINGS MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
Section 25(c) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Act (15 U.S.C. 278k(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, unless otherwise
determined under paragraph (3)(C)'' before the period at the
end;
(2) in paragraph (3)--
(A) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) by striking ``not less than 50 percent
of the costs incurred for the first 3 years and
an increasing share for each of the last 3
years'' and inserting ``the applicant's share
of the costs incurred (in this subsection
referred to as `cost share')''; and
(ii) by striking ``For purposes of the
preceding sentence, the'' and inserting
``The'';
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as
subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively;
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the
following new subparagraph:
``(C) The Secretary shall by rule establish
appropriate criteria to be considered in determining a
Center's cost share. A Center's cost share shall in no
case exceed 50 percent of the costs incurred by such
Center. The Secretary shall review each Center's cost
share annually and at such other times as the Secretary
considers appropriate. An adjustment to a Center's cost
share in a year shall not affect the amount of Federal
funds such Center receives in such year.''; and
(D) in subparagraph (D), as redesignated by
subparagraph (B)--
(i) by striking ``50 percent'' and
inserting ``cost share''; and
(ii) by striking ``Center's contribution''
and inserting ``Center's cost share''; and
(3) in paragraph (5)--
(A) in the 6th sentence, by striking ``at declining
levels''; and
(B) in the last sentence--
(i) by striking ``Funding'' and inserting
``Unless otherwise determined under paragraph
(3)(C), funding''; and
(ii) by striking ``one third'' and
inserting ``50 percent''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation.
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