Make It In America Manufacturing Communities Act
This bill directs the Department of Commerce to establish the Manufacturing Community Support Program, under which certain consortiums shall be designated as manufacturing communities and receive specified support.
To be eligible for designation, a consortium must include at least one (1) institution of higher education, (2) private sector entity, and (3) government entity. The consortium may define the region that it represents, as long as the region contains critical elements of key technologies or supply chain and enables close collaboration among the consortium's members. Each designation shall be for two years and may be renewed for up to two additional two-year periods.
Support under the program shall include financial and technical assistance and preferential consideration when seeking such assistance. Designees may use such financial or technical assistance to support investments in ecosystems that will improve the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing, including infrastructure, access to capital, promotion of exports and foreign direct investment, equipment upgrades, workforce training, energy or process efficiency, business incubators, site preparation, advanced research, supply chain development, and small business assistance.