New Manufacturing Advisory Council Mandated to Create Annual Strategic Plan within 180 Days

The National Manufacturing Advisory Council for the 21st Century Act establishes a new high-level advisory group within the Department of Commerce. This Council, created within 180 days of the bill becoming law, is tasked with being the government’s direct line to the U.S. manufacturing sector and its workers. Its main goal is to tackle big-picture problems like supply chain bottlenecks, workforce shortages, and figuring out how the U.S. can stay the global leader in manufacturing investment. This isn't just a paper-pushing committee; it’s designed to provide concrete, independent advice to the Secretary of Commerce at least twice a year and produce an annual national strategic plan for U.S. manufacturing.

The Real-World Job Description

So, what does this mean for the people actually building things? The Council is specifically directed to look at how new technology impacts job security and how workers—including union members—can be involved in planning for tech deployment. If you work in a factory or a trade, this group is supposed to be advising on better training to adapt your skills for the 21st century and promoting management practices that support ‘good jobs’ and worker input. For example, if a company is looking to automate a production line, the Council would advise on best practices for retraining those workers rather than just laying them off. They are also required to actively seek input from economically distressed areas and communities that have seen mass layoffs due to foreign competition, ensuring the advice isn't just focused on Silicon Valley or big coastal cities.

Who Gets a Seat at the Table?

This Council is designed to have a diverse makeup, requiring members from private industry (including small and medium-sized manufacturers), academia, and labor organizations. This is a crucial detail: the bill demands that the government gets input from all three corners—the bosses, the workers, and the researchers—to ensure the advice is balanced. Members will serve three-year terms, and the Secretary of Commerce will appoint them. Furthermore, any functions, staff, and funding from the old U.S. Manufacturing Council are being transferred over, effectively upgrading the existing advisory structure to meet the demands of this new mandate.

The Fine Print: Transparency Concerns

While the goals are solid—better jobs, stronger supply chains, and a national strategy—there’s one detail in the fine print that deserves attention. This new Council is explicitly exempted from the rules of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). FACA is the law that generally requires federal advisory bodies to operate with transparency, including public meetings, detailed record-keeping, and strict rules to ensure balanced representation. By exempting this new National Manufacturing Advisory Council, the bill removes those standard requirements for public scrutiny. This means that while the Council’s advice will directly shape federal policy affecting millions of manufacturing jobs and billions in investment, the process by which they arrive at that advice may not be as transparent as other federal advisory groups. Finally, don't get too attached: the Council is set to automatically shut down five years after its first meeting, giving it a fixed timeline to deliver results.