Baldwin Introduces Legislation to Address Supply Chain Disruptions and Support Made In America Production

Washington D.C. -- As ongoing, pandemic related supply chain disruptions impact businesses and consumers, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin is introducing new legislation to help address the issue. The Supply Chain Resiliency Act will alleviate current supply chain bottlenecks and prevent future disruptions by investing in American companies to reduce our reliance on long supply chains and ensure that critical products are made in America.

“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 Senator 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.”

Last week, the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and Productivity, which collaborates with the UW Stout Manufacturing Outreach Center and the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP), released its first ever “Wisconsin Manufacturing Report.” The new, comprehensive, annual report gauges Wisconsin manufacturing executives’ perceptions of the state of their business, their outlook on manufacturing, and identifies and explores key issues impacting their business and employees. The report found, “The Supply chains –both the availability and cost of materials needed –top the list of issues manufacturing executives are most concerned about. It’s a worry that both smaller and larger manufacturers share.”

Baldwin’s 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.

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.

“Rebuilding our country's supply chains requires robust investment in long-neglected critical materials and manufacturing. Sen. Baldwin's Supply Chain Resiliency Act serves as a much-needed foundation for strengthening these domestic supply chains and making our nation safer and more secure,” said United Steel Workers International President Tom Conway. “The bill also includes common-sense provisions to ensure workers have a voice on the job, reflecting the vital role good, community-sustaining jobs play in building and maintaining steady supply chains.”

The Supply Chain Resiliency Act is endorsed by the AFL-CIO and the United Steelworkers as well as Wisconsin-based Stoughton Trailers, and is cosponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

The full text of the Supply Chain Resiliency Act can be found here.