This website shows the ideas and innovation that the U.S. Government is working to develop for the future of the American worker. It also brings together information on key issues for manufacturers and service industries, such as regulatory reform and economic growth policies, as well as resources available from the Government that help to improve the business climate for U.S. manufacturing.

You will also find information on the Manufacturing Council, the Interagency Working Group on Manufacturing for Competitiveness, the National Science and Technology Council"s (NSTC) Interagency Working Group on Manufacturing R&D, and the President’s Export Council and their recommendations to strengthen the international economic position of the United States and to develop a public policy environment that advances U.S. competitiveness at home and abroad. 

Background

In March 2003, during National Manufacturing Week, Secretary Evans announced the President’s Manufacturing Initiative in a speech before the National Association of Manufacturers in Chicago. Secretary Evans ordered a comprehensive review of the issues influencing long-term competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing. The Manufacturing Initiative is a series of 57 recommendations taken from discussions with U.S. manufacturers during 23 public roundtables held by the Commerce Department between April and September 2003. The result is an 88-page report, Manufacturing in America, released on January 16, 2004. The roundtables included small, medium, and large companies from a range of industries. These recommendations are organized into four main themes that address the concerns manufacturers expressed a more intent focus in government on manufacturing and competitiveness, the need for economic growth, both domestic and in international markets, addressing domestic cost issues and ensuring a level playing field by cracking down on unfair trade practices. Moreover, it was clear that it has been the steady accumulation of multiple burdens, rather than a single cause, that has had the most severe impact on the competitive environment in which our manufacturers operate. Manufacturing in America includes more than 50 recommendations aimed at unleashing the full potential of American manufacturers. It is a first step towards strengthening American manufacturing and creating new jobs. These recommendations comprise a comprehensive strategy to ensure that government is fostering an environment that promotes a dynamic manufacturing industry.