VIDEO: Davids Amendment to Major Supply Chain Legislation Advances to Vote
Davids’ amendment would ensure small and mid-sized manufacturers are included in efforts to strengthen domestic supply chains
Today, as the House considers major economic legislation to strengthen supply chains and increase America's global competitiveness, Representative Sharice Davids introduced an amendment that would ensure small businesses are included that effort. Speaking on the House floor, Davids drove home the need to address rising costs by making more goods in America—and urged her colleagues not to forget about small and mid-sized manufacturers like those in the Third District.
"For years, we have been too reliant on goods made in other countries. The pandemic has exacerbated and exposed that reality, with shortages from personal protective equipment to ventilators to semiconductor chips. Those supply chain weaknesses continue to contribute to rising prices and inflation," said Davids. "We should be making more in America, and we have many small businesses in Kansas and across the country that are willing and able to step up to the plate."
Watch Rep. Davids' floor speech on addressing rising costs by supporting American small businesses:
Watch Rep. Davids' speech on YouTube here.
Davids' amendment will be considered as the House votes on the America COMPETES Act this week. This comprehensive economic legislation contains several priorities for Davids, including historic investments in domestic semiconductor "chip" production, resources to strengthen supply chains and reduce inflation, and policies that will help promote American global leadership amongst countries like China. It has a bipartisan companion in the Senate and support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO.
Specifically, the America COMPETES Act includes a program to reexamine and update the supply chain to the Strategic National Stockpile to avoid medical equipment shortages during national emergencies, as we saw early in the pandemic. Davids' amendment would ensure that small and medium manufacturers are considered in that program, not just big corporations.
Davids stated in her floor speech today: "In my district, we have businesses who pivoted their entire production lines to fill gaps in our medical supply chains…I can tell you from experience that they stand ready to pitch in, ready to train and employ our workers. It is our job to ensure they get the chance to do so."
After hearing the story of Lenexa-based manufacturer Dentec Safety Specialists, Davids helped them secure federal funding to pivot their business and fill the shortage of masks during the pandemic. Davids also introduced the SUPPLIES Act, which would create a grant program for small and medium manufacturers that shift their production to manufacture PPE and testing supplies during future public health emergencies, with an emphasis on domestic manufacturers. She also recently visited local medical device suppliers who have been struggling to serve patients due to the ongoing chip shortage—a shortage addressed by the America COMPETES Act through incentives for domestic chip production.