Washington, D.C. – As ongoing pandemic-related supply chain disruptions affect businesses and consumers, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has joined U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in introducing new legislation to support the flow of commerce. The Supply Chain Resiliency Act will alleviate current supply chain bottlenecks and prevent future disruptions by investing in American companies to reduce reliance on long supply chains and ensure that essential products are made in America.
“We have the natural resources and manufacturing know-how to make just about everything we need here in America,” said Whitehouse, a longtime champion for Rhode Island’s manufacturing industry. “Our legislation will support good jobs at home, keep prices down for consumers and small businesses, and reduce our economy’s reliance on global supply chains that are vulnerable in an emergency.”
“Since the beginning of the global pandemic in 2020, supply chain disruptions have impacted businesses, manufacturers, and consumers who are face rising costs for some products. I pushed the Trump Administration to do more scale up production of American made products and strengthen our supply chains, and I am pushing the Biden Administration to do more as well,” said Baldwin. “Our Made in America economy has been neglected, exposing us to shocks that leave us unable to produce or acquire the things we need, putting our health, economy, and security at risk. Supply chain disruptions have caused price spikes for some consumer goods. My legislation can help address these issues in the short term and put us in a stronger position going forward.”
The Supply Chain Resiliency Act creates an Office of Supply Chain Resiliency at the Commerce Department, charged with monitoring, researching, and addressing vulnerable supply chains. The Office will provide loans, loan guarantees, and grants to small and medium manufacturers, to allow them to address supply chain bottlenecks by expanding production. For example, a manufacturer that is unable to meet the increased demand for its products can get a low-interest loan from the Office of Supply Chain Resiliency to expand production.
“For a generation American workers have had to put up with bad trade deals, ‘just-in-time’ inventory management and a short-sighted Wall Street ideology which pushed manufacturing and jobs offshore. It’s time to once again invest in American manufacturing and the Supply Chain Resiliency Act is a positive step in that direction. The Rhode Island AFL-CIO applauds Senators Whitehouse and Baldwin for championing this crucial piece of legislation,” said Patrick Crowley, Secretary-Treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO.
In order to ensure adequate labor supply, safe working conditions, and labor-management cooperation, the legislation includes strong labor protections as a condition of expansion support. Through committed long-term low-cost financial support, the Office of Supply Chain Resiliency will provide incentives for manufacturers seeking to expand production in the United States and the companies that get their goods to market.
The Supply Chain Resiliency Act is also cosponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
Meaghan McCabe (401) 453-5294
