Gillibrand unveils plans to trigger high-tech manufacturing growth
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced her support for three programs designed to help stimulate manufacturing in areas with high unemployment.
The senator was in Olean on Monday to unveil the proposals, which she hopes will spark more high-tech manufacturing growth.
“It’s all been introduced,” said James Rahm, a spokesman for Gillibrand. “Now we just need to work on building support.”
The “Made in America” grant encourages small-to medium- sized manufactures to invest in their infrastructures and workforces to convert to advanced manufacturing, such as clean energy, computer technology or biotechnology. The legislation is co-sponsored by Sens. Debbie Stabenow (DMich.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R. I.),and Chris Coons (D-Del.).
Businesses would apply to their state or local governments, which would distribute the grants. To qualify, the region must have experienced at least 10 percent unemployment for six consecutive months between Jan. 1, 2007, and Dec. 31, 2010, or a decline in manufacturing employment by at least 15 percent in the same time period.
Manufacturing employment in the Buffalo Niagara region has decreased about 18 percent in the three years since the beginning of 2007. There were 60,900 employees in the manufacturing industry in December 2006 and 49,900 employees in that sector in December 2010, according to data from the New York State Labor Department.
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