WASHINGTON – As the US bleeds manufacturing jobs, a House of Representatives committee has approved a bill designed to stem the tide.

The legislation would require the president to direct a board of federal officials, private sector executives and a bipartisan group of governors to assess the state of manufacturing and make recommendations. The goal is to produce a four-year national strategy for building US manufacturing competitiveness.

Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), who sponsored the bill, asserts America has lost one-third of its manufacturing jobs during the past decade. "[T]these job losses were not inevitable, and I do not accept the notion that there is nothing we can do."

The bill could be voted on by the full House today, and Lipinski is in discussion with Senate colleagues on a similar bill.

CHENNAI, INDIA – Foxconn halted operations this week at its plant here in response to protests after more than 250 staff became sick and were taken to a local hospital.

Foxconn said it closed the facility to be "checked and cleared by the relevant local authorities."

The firm’s license reportedly has been temporarily revoked, but Foxconn expects to reopen its plant by next week.

According to published reports, the firm believes the incident was caused by pesticide exposure. However, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, responsible for revoking the firm’s license because of negligence, said symptoms were consistent with inhaling a manufacturing cleaning liquid.

A policy analyst noted India’s numerous healthy and safety regulatory laws have not been well implemented.