Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation, along with Senators Kohl and Lieberman, to reduce the cost share amount that Manufacturing Extension Partnership, or MEP, centers face in obtaining their annual funding. The MEP is a nationwide public-private network of counseling and assistance centers that offer our nation's nearly 350,000 small and medium manufacturers services and access to resources that enhance growth, improve productivity, and expand capacity. In Fiscal Year 2009 alone, MEP clients created or retained roughly 53,000 jobs; provided cost savings in excess of $1.41 billion; and generated over $9.1 billion in sales. Similarly, clients of the Maine MEP reported saving or retaining 550 jobs, experiencing $8.3 million in cost savings, and generating over $78.3 million in sales in 2009. As such, the MEP's contribution to the health of American manufacturing is indisputable. At present, individual MEP centers must raise a full 2/3 of their funding after their fourth year of operation, placing a heavy burden on these centers. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, at the Department of Commerce, in turn, provides one-third of the centers' funding. MEP centers can meet their portion of the cost share requirement through funds from universities, State and local governments, and other institutions. In today's tumultuous economy, these centers are experiencing increased difficulties finding adequate funding from both private and public sources.…”