The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation--a non-partisan, non-profit technology and economic policy think tank--will host a briefing on the bipartisan Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation (RAMI) Act (H.R. 2996) on Tuesday, April 29 at 1pm in the Cannon House Office Building (402). The RAMI legislation, co-sponsored by NEMW Congressional Coalition Co-Chairs Reps. Mike Kelly (PA-3) and Jim McGovern (MA-2), supports public-private partnerships between the federal government, local governments, universities, research institutes, and industry to accelerate manufacturing innovation in technologies with commercial applications by leveraging resources to bridge the gap between basic research performed at U.S. universities and research laboratories and product development by U.S. manufacturers. The briefing will feature three private-sector speakers presenting about the important role RAMI is poised to play in enhancing U.S. industrial competitiveness by supporting development of technologies that will enable U.S. manufacturers to develop the cutting edge technologies needed to compete in the global marketplace. Register here. 

NEMW Senate Coalition Co-Chair Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH) introduced RAMI's companion bill (S.1468), which passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee earlier this month. 

 

At the annual executive meeting of the Council of Great Lakes Governors (Chicago, April 25-26), the Great Lakes Governors and Premiers of Ontario and Quebec continued progress on commitments from a 2013 meeting on Mackinac Island focused on restoring the Great Lakes environment and economy. On Mackinac Island, Co-Chairs Govs. Pat Quinn (IL) and Rick Snyder (MI) recommitted to restore, revitalize and protect the economy and the environment,noting there is no trade-off between the two in the Great Lakes region. At the meeting, the governors and premiers announced a comprehensive strategy to improve maritime and multi-model transportation, an initiative to bring direct investment to the Great Lakes region from China and other foreign countries, a mutual aid agreement to assist in combating the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species, and improving water monitoring across the basin. These efforts follow on the eight resolutions adopted at the 2013 meeting on Mackinac Island, highlighting the region's need to work together to enhance the region's competitiveness in the global economy in terms of economic opportunity and quality of life. 

NEMWI work supports many of the governors' and premiers' efforts, including: the Great Lakes Washington Program, which works to highlight federal policy opportunities to support the region; the Great Ships Initiative, which performs ballast water testing to prevent invasive species introductions; and the Toward Sustainable Water Information program, which reviews the status of water monitoring data and infrastructure in the region and assesses whether it is sufficient to answer policy questions on nutrient loading and oil and gas exploration.