WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) and Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.), Co-Chairs of the Senate Task Force on Manufacturing, last night requested that the Fiscal Year 2010 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill include $131.8 million in funding for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). Joining Senators Snowe and Lieberman in their request to fully fund the MEP at the level authorized by the bipartisan America COMPETES Act was long-time advocate and Task Force member Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.), as well as 47 other senators.

“Responsible for helping to create or retain over 57,000 jobs in 2008 alone, the MEP enables our nation’s small- and medium-sized manufacturers to improve productivity and compete in the global marketplace,” Senator Snowe said. “At a time when our economy is mired in the deepest and longest recession since World War II, the MEP program and its job-generating returns are a sensible use of government resources. Additionally, I call on the Senate to pass legislation I introduced with several of the co-signers of this letter to reduce the cost share burden that MEP centers face, so that they can focus their efforts and resources on helping manufacturers become competitive.”

“We need our small manufacturers to be an engine of job growth so that we can emerge from this recession on sound footing,” said Senator Lieberman. “The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership is a critical program that will help make that happen.”

“As our economy struggles to gain strength, job creation should be our primary focus -- and we have MEP success stories throughout Wisconsin,” said Senator Kohl. "Investing in the MEP program is the right thing to do at a time when retaining and creating jobs is more important than ever.”

The MEP is a nationwide network of not-for-profit centers in nearly 400 locations in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, whose sole purpose is to provide small- and medium-sized manufacturers with the help they need in implementing the most advanced manufacturing technologies and processes to succeed as the country competes with low wage countries such as China and India. The centers are linked together through the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The requested funding for the MEP in FY 2010 is critical to the sustainability of the nation’s manufacturing sector.  The United States shed more than 1.1 million manufacturing jobs in 2008. Manufacturing employment declines have continued in the first three months of 2009. Despite these losses, manufacturing still represents more than 12 percent of GDP.

The text of the letter sent to Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Chair Barbara Mikulski and Ranking Member Richard Shelby is as follows:

May 6, 2009

The Honorable Barbara A. Mikulski, Chairman

The Honorable Richard C. Shelby, Ranking Member

Committee on Appropriations

Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Chairman Mikulski and Ranking Member Shelby:

Thank you for your support of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program in the fiscal year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill. We are writing to request full funding, in the amount of $131.8 million, for the MEP in the fiscal year 2010 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. This request is the level authorized in the bipartisan America COMPETES Act.

The need for full funding for this program is more important than ever. As you know, the manufacturing sector lost more than 1.2 million jobs in 2008. Despite these losses, manufacturing still represents more than 12 percent of GDP.

America’s manufacturing industry is at a crossroads. Globalization has increased demand dramatically for manufactured goods and increased competition among manufacturing producers. Manufacturing strategies that worked for the past 50 years will not be sufficient to win in the future global economy.  The MEP program is an essential part of the effort to restore America’s manufacturing leadership.

Working through centers in every state and Puerto Rico, MEP professionals extend objective consultation to many thousands of small manufacturers across America to keep our industrial base competitive and retain high-wage manufacturing jobs.

The MEP program’s well-documented impact is substantial. In fiscal year 2008 alone (based on services provided in fiscal year 2007), MEP projects with small- and mid-sized manufacturers created or retained over 57,079 jobs, generated more than $10.5 billion in sales and provided cost savings of more than $1.44 billion.

Manufacturing is one of our country’s greatest economic strengths and the MEP is an invaluable program that helps manufacturers improve productivity and compete in the global marketplace. Without strong federal support, the MEP will be unable to maintain its mission of serving small manufacturer’s increasing needs. At a time when economic recovery is the national priority, we believe the MEP continues to be a wise investment. We respectfully request that you appropriate $131.8 million for the MEP in fiscal year 2010.

Sincerely,

Senators Lieberman, Snowe, Kohl, Baucus, Bingaman, Bond, Boxer, Brown, Cantwell, Cardin, Casey, Chambliss, Conrad, Cornyn, Crapo, Dodd, Dorgan, Feingold, Gillibrand, Harkin, Hatch, Inhofe, Johnson, Kaufman, Kennedy, Kerry, Klobuchar, Lautenberg, Leahy, Levin, Lugar, McCaskill, Menendez, Merkley, Reed, Roberts, Rockefeller, Sanders, Schumer, Shaheen, Specter, Stabenow, Tester, Udall (CO), Udall (NM), Vitter, Warner, Webb, Whitehouse, Wyden