McClatchy News: ‘Little-Known Bill Heaven Sent For Laid-Off Textile Workers’

Democrats in Congress are committed to continuing to preserve our manufacturing base, which is essential to our economic and national security. When we "Make It In America," we create jobs to lead the world economy. Our national manufacturing strategy will create the high-skill, high-wage jobs of the future — promoting American competitiveness, innovation, and exports. In July, the House passed several bills as a part of our "Make It In America" agenda — to increase American manufacturing and create new American jobs and — President Obama has already signed three manufacturing-boosting bills into law.

Despite overwhelming bipartisan support for the bill, Republican leaders in Congress voted against the bill and continue to promote the "exact same" failed Bush-era policies and side with big corporations that ship good-paying American jobs overseas. From McClatchy News – ‘Little-known bill heaven sent for laid-off textile workers':

…So when the last local textile plant announced last month that it would bring back its third shift, word spread quickly.

The textile mill had 38 jobs available, paying $8.50 an hour and up.

…Among the reasons… is a little-known but massive piece of legislation that Congress passed in late July after more than three years of dickering.

The Miscellaneous Tariffs Bill, as it's known, contains hundreds of provisions to erase or reduce the tariffs that companies spend on raw materials imported from foreign countries.

…The National Association of Manufacturers said the costs add up. It told Congress in July that the Miscellaneous Tariffs Bill would increase U.S. production by $4.6 billion and support almost 90,000 jobs.

The bundle of tariff suspensions was renamed the Manufacturing Enhancement Act by Democratic leaders and passed the House in late July by 378-43.

Some Republicans opposed it after their leadership claimed the tariff suspensions amounted to earmarks, which the party had pledged not to support this year. In North Carolina, only GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx voted no…