ADVANCED MANUFACTURING

WHEREAS, in 2012, manufacturers contributed $1.87 trillion to the nation’s economy, up from $1.73 trillion in 2011, and represented 11.9 percent of GDP; and

WHEREAS, manufacturing supports an estimated 17.2 million jobs in the United States of which nearly 12 million are employed directly in manufacturing; and

WHEREAS, in 2011, the average manufacturing worker in the United States earned $77,060 annually, including pay and benefits, while the average working in all industries earned $60,168; and

WHEREAS, manufacturers in the United States perform two-thirds of all private-sector research and development in the nation; and

WHEREAS, US exports growth is a key factor in economic growth and are largely driven by technological innovation in aerospace, life sciences, clean energy, environmental scientific instruments, and other related fields; and

WHEREAS, today’s manufacturing sector is increasingly located in cities; and

WHEREAS, manufacturing brings revenues into the city and metropolitan economy from external areas, states, and countries, also supporting job creation in other parts of the local economy; and

WHEREAS, thriving advanced manufacturing and related technology sectors attract and grow investment throughout our nation in both cities and suburban and rural communities; and

WHEREAS, President Obama proposed a concrete agenda to train American workers for advanced manufacturing jobs, end tax breaks to ship jobs overseas, and level the playing field for workers by opening new markets for American-made products; and

WHEREAS, the President launched the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) to provide coordinated federal assistance to help communities develop regional implementation strategies aimed to initiate tailored public-private partnerships to expand manufacturing initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the President’s proposed a cross-agency investment in FY 2014 to award five to six IMCP "Challenge" grants of up to $25 million each for having the best long-term, coordinated strategies for attracting private investment and increasing exports; and

WHEREAS, the President proposed a $1 billion investment to expand the Manufacturing Innovation Institutes Network across the country; and

WHEREAS, On May 9, the President launched a competition for three new Manufacturing Innovation Institutes which is part of a vision for linked regional hubs that will anchor economic growth in our nation’s urban centers; and

WHEREAS, the President has proposed increased investment in key advanced manufacturing research and development programs across federal agencies; and

WHEREAS, the President has established an interagency Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office (AMNPO); and

WHEREAS, despite bipartisan interest and various legislative proposals, there remains a multitude of unconnected federal programs and no comprehensive national strategy for reviving and sustaining a strong manufacturing sector, keeping our nation on the leading edge of innovation, or providing sufficient resources to educate America’s future talent and workforce,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges the President and the U.S. Congress to establish, pursue, and invest in a clear manufacturing strategy that better incorporates the role and value of advanced manufacturing in broader urban and economic development policies and programs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal government should evaluate and remove constraints on urban manufacturing support, and that mayors and the federal government should work together to identify additional ways to support technology education, research and innovation that can boost advanced manufacturing in US cities.