Speaker Urges More U.S. Manufacturing, Warns of Dependence on China

An unidentified speaker at the event urged a renewed focus on domestic manufacturing, saying it produces stable, better-paying jobs and a ‘‘family atmosphere’’ that keeps workers longer. The speaker said that manufacturing is ‘‘important to our state and our country’’ and warned that ‘‘if we don't manufacture, then we're gonna have to buy everything from China.’’

The speaker framed the COVID downturn as a lesson for policymakers and the public. ‘‘It's really been a very interesting development to see what happens when the entire economy shrinks dramatically from something like COVID,’’ the speaker said, calling it ‘‘a kind of a wake up call for America’’ to increase manufacturing capacity so the nation can retain jobs and economic security.

The remarks linked domestic production to funding for public priorities, with the speaker arguing that manufacturing ‘‘powers our economy and allow[s] us to care for the elderly and care for our veterans and care for our school kids.’’ The speaker closed by saying, ‘‘Every dollar that's made here producing goods and services is a dollar that we're able to ultimately use to help our country.’’

No formal policy proposals, motions, or votes were recorded in the transcript excerpt provided. The remarks were a set of policy arguments and warnings rather than a description of enacted measures or pending legislation.