WASHINGTON -- A bipartisan group of senators announced Aug. 1 a legislative package that seeks to increase US manufacturing, competiveness and exports.

The Building a Stronger America Act initiative includes some of the same provisions as the Make It In America plan unveiled by House Democrats in July but could stand a better chance of congressional approval with backing by both Republicans and Democrats.

The Senate package includes the following measures:

• Enforcing Orders and Reducing Customs Evasion Act, S.1133, which requires US Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for investigating claims of evasion of anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders.
• Global Investment in American Jobs Act, S.3274, which requires the Department of Commerce to lead an interagency review of U.S. laws and policies on foreign direct investment and make recommendations to make the U.S. more competitive and expresses the sense of the Senate that it is a good idea for the U.S. to attract inbound investment by removing unnecessary barriers and promoting good polices.
• Export Promotion Act, S.2171, which updates the duties of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee to improve the coordination of export promotion activities within the US in order to target and develop new export markets for US products.
• Small Business Export Growth Act, S.3218, which revises membership of the TPCC to include one member that represents state agencies with responsibility for export promotion and export financing and also requires a report on the development of a single Web site for complying with and disseminating information about U.S. export control laws and regulations.
• Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success (SECTORS) Act, S.665, which directs the DOC to award three-year competitive industry or manufacturing sector grants to encourage industry growth and competitiveness and improved training, retention and advancement in targeted industry clusters.
• WIN Jobs Act, S.1948, which directs the DOC to establish the Innovation in Investment pilot program to make competitive grants to business and higher education consortia that would expand workforce training in high-tech manufacturing and developing industries through public-private partnerships.
• America Recruits Act, S.1247, which establishes a grant program to states to encourage the insourcing of new manufacturing facilities and directs the DoC to ensure that industry-approved certification assessments and standards are established and available to providers of education and training programs in manufacturing and information technology.

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