Congressman Jason Crow Helps Pass Bipartisan Package to Strengthen American Manufacturing and Shore up US Supply Chains
Package Includes Crow Amendment to Expand Teacher Apprenticeships & Key Provisions of His Make in Americas Act
Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06) today voted for a bipartisan package to strengthen American labor and manufacturing. Crow's amendment to improve teacher apprenticeships was passed today in the America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing Pre-Eminence in Technology and Economic Strength (America COMPETES) Act as well as key provisions of his and Congressman Adam Kinzinger's (IL-16) bipartisan Made in Americas Act. In full, this package funds innovation, reinforces the US supply chains, fights climate change, creates more STEM opportunities for American workers, and strengthens our national security. After passing by a bipartisan vote of 222 to 210, this legislation will now proceed to the Senate for consideration.
"American innovation and manufacturing are the backbone of our economy. The America COMPETES Act will help create more good paying jobs and strengthen our supply chain so we have access to the goods and services we use every day," said Congressman Jason Crow. "I'm proud to have passed my amendment to strengthen teacher apprenticeships, which will help equip hardworking teachers across Colorado with the tools they need to educate our next generation."
Crow's amendment, which was previously included in the National Apprenticeship Act, will include teachers in the registered apprenticeship system. This system supports more than 600,000 apprenticeships nationwide – and more than 6,000 in Colorado. Ninety four percent of those who complete these apprenticeships have a job after completing the program. COVID-19 has exacerbated existing teacher shortages and by expanding this apprenticeship program to include teachers, our educators will be equipped with the skills they need to teach our kids.
The bill also includes key provisions of Reps. Crow and Kinzinger's (IL-16) bipartisan Made in Americas Act. These provisions create a program and grants to support American manufacturing and bolster supply chain resilience and they initiate a whole-of-government strategy to address threats to the US supply chain.
American manufacturing centers have created or maintained more than 100,000 jobs and added more than $15 billion to the economy in the past year.
The America COMPETES Act reflects bipartisan work across committees: its major components include many bills that previously passed the House by strong bipartisan votes or have bipartisan cosponsors.
See a full fact sheet on the bill here.
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