Members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Jan. 27 reintroduced the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act.
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Aims of the Proposed Legislation
According to a press release posted Monday on the committee’s website, the bill aims to authorize the Department of Commerce to take steps to strengthen U.S. supply chains for critical industries and emerging technologies, which are susceptible to disruption brought on by geopolitical conflicts, natural disasters and overreliance on single countries as sources for key manufacturing components, minerals and pharmaceutical ingredients.
The proposed legislation’s provisions include the establishment of a working group that will map, monitor and model U.S. supply chains, and anticipate and respond to supply chain shocks; the evaluation of the impact of such supply chain shocks on market stability; and the regular reporting to Congress on the resilience of U.S. supply chains.
Proponents of the Bill
The bill was put forward by Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.; Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; and Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.
Commenting on the proposal, Sen. Cantwell, who serves as the committee’s ranking member, said, “One supply chain shock can disrupt the entire system, driving shortages and raising costs. Our legislation will get the government, businesses and manufacturers working together to identify gaps and build capacity to prevent supply chain disruptions before they happen. It will strengthen American manufacturing jobs, keep our store shelves stocked and lower costs for American families.”