The POPVOX Blog

Just as we highlighted the GOP's summer agenda, POPVOX is outlining the Democrat's "Make It In America" plan. We hope you'll weigh in on these bills.

According to Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, the "Democrats' Make It In America plan is based on the belief that when more products are made in America, more families will be able to Make It In America. The plans is intended to create the conditions to help American businesses produce goods here, innovate here, and create jobs here; it includes many of the investments necessary for America to out-educate, out-innovate, and out-build its international competitors." (Read more from Democratic Whip Hoyer.)

The Democrats' "Make It In America" Agenda

The following bills represent a cross-section of the legislation that are part of the Make It In America plan for the 112th Congress, according to Rep. Steny Hoyer.

Infrastructure and Commerce

• HR 1338 Focusing Resources, Economic Investment, and Guidance To Help Transportation (FREIGHT) Act improves the efficiency, operation, and security of the national transportation system to move freight by leveraging investments and promoting partnerships that advance interstate and foreign commerce.
• HR 992 Build American Jobs Act amends the tax code to create jobs through increased investment in infrastructure.
• HR 11 Build America Bonds to Create Jobs Now Act amends the tax code to extend the Build America Bonds program.
• HR 402 National Infrastructure Development Bank Act facilitates efficient investments and financing of infrastructure projects and new job creation through the establishment of a National Infrastructure Development Bank.
• HR 613 Airports, Highways, High-Speed Rail, Trains and Transit: Make it in America Act strengthens Buy America requirements applicable to airports, highways, high-speed rail, trains, and transit.

Competition

• HR 6081 Advancing Innovative Manufacturing Act accelerates research, development, and innovation in advanced manufacturing, to improve the competitiveness of American manufacturers.
• HR 2275 American Textile Technology Innovation and Research for Exportation (ATTIRE) Act supports innovation and research in the United States textile and fiber products industry
• HR 5865 American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act promotes the growth and competitiveness of American manufacturing.
• HR 1693 Permanent R&D Tax Credit amends the tax code to make the research credit permanent and to increase the alternative simplified research credit.
• HR 639 Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act clarifies that countervailing duties may be imposed to address subsidies relating to a fundamentally undervalued currency of any foreign country.

Rare Earths Materials

• HR 618 Rare Earths and Critical Materials Revitalization Act develops a rare earth materials program, to amend the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980.
• HR 952 Energy Critical Elements Renewal Act develops an energy critical elements program, to amend the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980.
• HR 1314 Resource Assessment of Rare Earths (RARE) Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a global rare earth element assessment.

Trade Laws and Exports

• HR 3057 Enforcing Orders and Reducing Customs Evasion (ENFORCE) Act prevents the evasion of antidumping and countervailing duty orders.
• HR Customs Training Enhancement Act amends the tax code to extend the Build America Bonds program.
• HR 4041 Export Promotion Reform Act amends the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 to further enhance the promotion of exports of United States goods and services.

Small Business

• HR 1732 Innovative Technologies Investment Incentives Act amends the tax code to allow a credit for equity investments in high technology and biotechnology small business concerns developing innovative technologies that stimulate private sector job growth.
• HR 1730 Small Business Start-up Savings Accounts establishes tax-preferred Small Business Start-up Savings Accounts.
• HR 1912 Make It in America Block Grant Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Make It in America Block Grant Program.

Tax Policy

• HR 5542 Bring Jobs Home Act amends the tax code to encourage domestic insourcing and discourage foreign outsourcing.

Education

• HR 4227 Workforce Investment Act reauthorizes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to strengthen the United States workforce investment system through innovation in, and alignment and improvement of, employment, training, and education programs, and to promote national economic growth.
• HR 4249 Workforce-Ready Educate America Act amends the tax code to allow employers a credit against income tax as an incentive to partner with educational institutions to provide skills training for students.
• HR 1716 Job Opportunities Between our Shores (JOBS) Act amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to establish a pilot program to facilitate education and training programs in the field of advanced manufacturing.
• HR 1325 American Manufacturing Efficiency & Retraining Investment Collaboration (AMERICA Works) Act requires that certain Federal job training and career education programs give a priority to programs that provide an industry recognized and nationally portable credential.
• HR 1240 Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success (SECTORS) Act promotes industry growth and competitiveness and to improve worker training, retention, and advancement

Clean Energy Jobs

• HR 5955 Rural Energy Investment Act amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to improve energy programs.
• HR 502 Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act provides for the establishment of a Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund to assist United States businesses with exporting clean energy technology products and services.
• HR 724 Security in Energy and Manufacturing (SEAM) Act extends the qualifying advanced energy project credit.
• HR 1380 New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions (NAT GAS) Act encourages alternative energy investments and job creation.
• HR 1367 Advanced Vehicle Technology Act provide for a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application in vehicle technologies at the Department of Energy.

Made in America

• HR 3495 Market Based Manufacturing Incentives Act amends the tax code to provide market-based manufacturing incentives.
• HR 1163 Patriot Corporations of America Act provides Federal contracting preferences for, and a reduction in the rate of income tax imposed on, Patriot corporations.
• HR 1684 The Keep American Jobs from Going Down the Drain Act requires the use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods in the construction, alteration, and repair of public water systems and treatment works.
• HR 679 Berry Amendment Extension Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from procuring certain items directly related to the national security unless the items are grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States.
• HR 1354 American Jobs Matter Act allows contracting officers to consider information regarding domestic employment before awarding a Federal contract.
• HR 1344 All-American Flag Act requires the purchase of domestically made flags of the United States of America for use by the Federal Government.

Please keep in mind that highlighting a bill doesn't imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way. Rather, we're simply trying to offer one more way to stay informed of an overwhelmingly complex legislative system.