Council President to Congress: Manufacturing Is Most Significant Sector of U.S. Economy

President & CEO of the Council on Competitiveness Deborah Wince-Smith told a House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee today that the multiplier effect of American manufacturing makes it the cornerstone of any robust economic recovery.

The comments came during her testimony to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade during a hearing titled, “Made in America: Innovations in Job Creation and Economic Growth."

"The U.S. manufacturing sector is a key engine of innovation, wealth generation, job growth and national security,” Wince-Smith said. “America cannot retain its position of leadership in the global marketplace without a robust and vibrant industrial base.”

The Council’s chief executive also articulated the vision of America’s leading CEOs on the path to manufacturing competitiveness, found in the Council’s most recent publication, Ignite 1.0. The report features specific recommendations from over three dozen chief executives on a broad set of topics that include energy policy, capital costs and U.S. education in science and technology.

Ignite 1.0 is the first in a three-part series to be released by the Council’s flagship U.S. Manufacturing Competitiveness Initiative (USMCI). The initiative will draw insights from university presidents and labor leaders in the second and third installments in the series. The USMCI is focused on developing a comprehensive National Manufacturing Strategy to deliver to Congress and the Administration at a national summit in December 2011.