The Clinton/Gore Administration: Strengthening Manufacturing for the 21st Century

THE CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION:
STRENGTHENING MANUFACTURING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

February 4, 2000


Today, the President will announce a series of proposals that will help strengthen U.S. manufacturers, workers, and communities and to help keep manufacturing a strong and vital part of the U.S. economy in the 21st century. These initiatives were developed as part of the interagency Manufacturing Task Force announced by Vice-President Gore last summer.

The total investment in this initiative represents an increase of $386 million increase this year in addition to the President’s $2.86 billion increase in the "Twenty-First Century Research Fund."

PRESIDENT CLINTON’S FY 2001 BUDGET INITIATIVES

Record increases in research and development

  • $2.86 billion increase in "Twenty-First Century Research Fund." Many components of this will support advances in manufacturing. The $495 million nanotechnology initiative, for example, could lead to materials that are ten times stronger than steel and a fraction of the weight, and devices capable of storing the Library of Congress on a sugar cube.

Upgrading the skills of the manufacturing workforce

  • $30 million in new matching grants to States for innovative approaches designed to upgrade the skills and training of the manufacturing workforce.
  • More than tripling -- from $4 to $14 million – funding to strengthen the science and math preparation of technicians being educated for the high-performance workplace of advanced technologies.

Expanding Trade Promotion and Financing

  • $215 million historic increase in available export financing – a 26.5 percent increase – that will generate over $3 billion in new manufacturing exports.
  • $11.6 million to develop next-generation trade promotion programs to help small manufacturers find markets abroad through the Internet – an export advisor on every desktop.

Strengthening Monitoring and Enforcement of Trade Agreements

  • To ensure that U.S. manufacturers and others benefit fully from the opportunities created by our trade agreements and laws, the budget would significantly boost funding for monitoring and enforcement of compliance with trade agreements. Specifically, it would:

Increase by 25 percent the number of personnel (from 496 – 619) at the Commerce Department for trade enforcement,

Double the personnel devoted to monitoring import surges and performing expedited investigations,

Create an overseas contingent of trade experts to help monitor trade practices,

Triple personnel dedicated to ensuring China’s compliance with trade obligations,

Double personnel dedicated to ensuring Japan’s compliance with trade obligations,

Establish a new trade law technical assistance center to assist small businesses and unions,

Increase in Enforcement/Monitoring personnel at USTR, State, and USDA.

Expanding Adjustment Assistance for Workers and Communities

  • $35 million increase to create a new office to craft and coordinate Administration-wide responses and to provide recovery funds for regions impacted by trade or other severe and sudden economic distress – increasing economic adjustment by $175 million over 5 years.
  • $39 million increase to reform and expand trade adjustment assistance (training and extended unemployment benefits) for workers who lose their jobs due to import and shifts in production -- $459 million over 5 years.

Developing and Making Available Technologies Enable Smaller Manufacturers to Thrive

  • $20.5 million to provide technical assistance to smaller manufacturers and other businesses to overcome barriers to the use of the Internet and E-Commerce, and $4 million to accelerate the development of the technology infrastructure needed for manufacturers to conduct reliable electronic commerce.

 

Specific Budget Initiatives Targeted Toward Manufacturing

Investing in research and development for the 21st Century

Almost $3 billion increase in the Twenty-First Century Research Fund

Upgrading the skills of the Manufacturing Workforce

1. $30 million in new grants to States to upgrade the skills of incumbent workers:

2. More than tripling to $14 million resources to strengthen the science and mathematics preparation of technicians being educated for the high-performance workplace of advanced technologies:

Expanding Trade Promotion and Financing

1. $215 million increase in available export financing – a 26.5 percent increase:

2. $11.6 million to develop next-generation trade promotion programs and services made possible by the Internet – an export advisor on every desktop:

Strengthening Monitoring and Enforcement of Trade Agreements

Expanding Adjustment Assistance for Workers and Communities

1. $35 million increase to create a new office to craft and coordinate Administration-wide responses and to provide recovery funds for regions impacted by trade or other severe and sudden economic distress – increasing economic adjustment by $175 million over 5 years.

2. $39 million increase to reform and extend trade adjustment assistance -- $459 million over 5 years:

Developing and diffusing technologies that increase productivity and enable smaller manufacturers to thrive in the New Economy

1. $20.5 million to assist smaller manufactures and other businesses overcome barriers to the use of the Internet and E-Commerce.

2. $4 million to accelerate the development of the technology infrastructure needed for manufacturers’ and their supply chains to conduct reliable electronic commerce.




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