In his State of the Union address President Obama said: "Our first priority is making America a magnet for new jobs and manufacturing." His proposed plan to invest in American manufacturing builds on that momentum.

President Obama outlined the plan’s goals to:

• Investing in American-made technologies and training American workers for high-tech manufacturing jobs,
• end tax breaks to ship jobs overseas and making the U.S. more competitive,
• bring jobs back to our shores, and
• leveling the playing field and opening markets for American-made products.

You can read President Obama's full remarks here. Or you can listen to the audio here.

The President stated in his Feb. 13 speech in Asheville, NC that he will take executive action to launch three new manufacturing institutes this year. As the first step in his four-part plan, the three centers will focus on manufacturing technologies that "also address critical national security and energy needs."

The underlying idea for the new institutes is to leverage the strengths of various U.S. regions by bringing together manufacturing businesses, universities and community colleges, and government, to develop and build manufacturing technologies and capabilities that will help U.S.-based manufacturers and workers create good jobs.  Each of the new 15 manufacturing centers will be located in a different region of the country and have a different focus for its research, development and production. It is not yet known which technologies will be the focus of the first three institutes. To read his speech for more detail, click here.

In response to President Obama’s State of the Union address, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) CEO Jay Timmons issued a statement. To read his full statement, click here.

“It is impossible to expect manufacturing to thrive when manufacturers are deprived of the tools they need to compete in the global economy while battling a 20% cost disadvantage. While tonight’s speech had a familiar focus on economic growth and recovery, we unfortunately didn’t hear a call for action on comprehensive tax reform that will benefit manufacturers. A manufacturing resurgence won’t come from limiting the global power of manufacturers. Tax reform is essential because it is our uncompetitive system that is hurting manufacturers both at home and in the global marketplace.”