Make It In America: What's Next?

Dear Colleague:

Over the past five years, House Democrats have been advancing our Make It In America plan to support a robust domestic manufacturing sector, promote American exports, encourage businesses to bring jobs back to the U.S., and invest in education and skills training. I want to thank you for helping to shape that plan and deliver our message of jobs and opportunity to the American people. Make It In America has been a bottom-up initiative of our Caucus. In the five years we have pursued this plan, we have helped to enact sixteen laws and articulate a message that has resonated back home in a diversity of districts.

Thanks to the work Democrats have done, our economy has recovered significantly from the Great Recession, and today American businesses and workers are facing different challenges than they did when unemployment was spiking to 10% and the stock market was in freefall. In 2015, manufacturing production continues to grow steadily, and unemployment has dropped to 5.5%. However, even with millions of Americans back to work and businesses making more products here, many among us are still struggling to make it in America.

As we look ahead to 2016, we have an opportunity to examine which components of the Make It In America plan best reflect the changing needs of our economy and our workforce as well as which components ought to be strengthened or modified. Over the next few months, I ask you to join me in a series of hearings asking the question, “Make It In America: What’s Next?”

The first of these hearings will take place on Thursday, July 9, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. It will serve as an opportunity for Members to testify about how they would like to see the Make It In America plan address the economic challenges facing their districts and our nation – and how best we can lay the groundwork to build and maintain a robust and competitive economy and job market for the future. Members will have a chance to share ideas or initiatives that have resonated locally and suggest areas where the Make It In America plan might be expanded or improved. The hearing will provide a forum for Members to indicate where more federal support is needed or which sectors require more attention from Congress. I hope you will consider participating and contributing your recommendations and insights.

Thank you for your hard work these past few years as House Democrats have promoted the Make It In America plan and used it to highlight our party’s leadership on the critical issues of economic opportunity, competitiveness, and access to the American Dream. If you would like to take part in the July 9 hearing or have any questions about “Make It In America: What’s Next?” please contact Courtney Fry on my staff at 5-3130.

Sincerely yours,

STENY H. HOYER

Democratic Whip