The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act's Failure Shows the Senate Is Also to Blame For Inaction

Yesterday, H. R. 5865 passed the House of Representatives 339 to 77.  This bill's vote is an endangered species of sorts, one that passed overwhelmingly with the combined support of almost all Democrats and most Republicans.  Sponsoring the bill are Democrat Dan Lipinski and Republican Adam Kinzinger.  House leaders considered the bill an easy pass, so they suspended some of the procedural rules to hurry it out the door of the House . . . where it is expected to go no further.  When the Senate considered a bill with similar language, it went straight to the morgue.


 

She's pretty damned amazed that a bill supported overwhelmingly by Democrats and Republicans in the House even exists!

The bill, called the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act, would create a 15 person commission.  One would be the Secretary of Commerce, two would be former governors, the remainder would be individuals with executive branch experience.  One of the governors would hail from each political party.  All of these five would be appointed by the president.  The remainder would come from the private sector and labor unions.

The board would meet at specified times, analyze materials, and create a draft report.  Although the bill includes

According to Congressman Kinzinger's office:

The Board will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. manufacturing sector, covering everything from trade issues to taxation, regulation, and new technologies. Based on this analysis, it will develop a strategy that includes specific goals and specific recommendations for achieving those goals. The first strategy is due in 2014 and the second in 2018.

All in all, it sounds like a good example of the federal government's shepherding role.  This brings in experienced individuals from all concerned sectors to come up with ideas on how to reduce regulation and explore other ways to help make American manufacturing competitive again.

Yes, some House fiscal conservatives hate it and voted to kill it.  They, rightfully, hold suspicions about any expansion of government even by 14 people.  One can see the logic behind their opposition.

But why would Senate Democrats oppose this?  The president has a strong voice in the composition of the commission.  Labor is represented.  Fast tracking the bill to the president's desk would actually give him a photo opportunity to look like a moderate friend of manufacturing prior to the election.  Yet the Senate remains unmoved.

Last summer, Barack Obama proclaimed that  "right now, Congress should pass a bill to prevent more layoffs."  Although that statement is pretty absurd on the surface, he is arguing that Congress has not acted on economic issues.  The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act would be at least an effort to find long term solutions to the shrinking manufacturing sector.

All the while, the media has slammed the Republican House for its intransigence.  Could it be that a listless Senate is at least as much to blame?

That all being said, setting aside the lack of a budget for a moment, America is probably better off when Congress does less, regardless of the reasons why.  But occasionally, even government can come up with some sensible ideas.

Shelley Moore Capito, David McKinley, and Nick Rahall all voted for the bill.