Supply chain issues and rising costs have caused significant challenges for manufacturers like our company, Continental Biomass Industries. That’s why we were honored to recently welcome Sen. Maggie Hassan to our headquarters in Newton. Senator Hassan toured our facility to learn more about how manufacturing companies like CBI continue to “Make America” despite these challenges.

Hassan’s visit was especially timely because Congress is currently negotiating the Bipartisan Innovation Act. The BIA is a hallmark piece of legislation to improve American competitiveness by strengthening America’s manufacturing sector, including ongoing supply chain issues and a shortage of skilled workers.

At CBI, we depend on a skilled workforce to manufacture our products. Right now, we are facing more significant challenges in onboarding new staff than ever before. These challenges are attributed to various factors, including retiring baby boomers and a lack of trained workers to replace them.

The federal government would be wise to fund local workforce development programs through legislation like the BIA. Creating a pipeline of skilled workers is the best way to ensure that America’s manufacturing sector can compete with countries like China. There is so much opportunity for American workers to find well-paying and meaningful jobs in our domestic manufacturing sector. By reskilling our labor force to take advantage of manufacturing jobs at home, our nation will regain its status as a global manufacturing powerhouse.

To help strengthen American manufacturing, we also should support the creation of an Office of Supply Chain Resiliency to serve as a resource for domestic manufacturers like CBI. Serving as a central hub within the Department of Commerce, the office will help identify and address future disruptions to critical supply chains impacting U.S. manufacturers.

It’s time for Congress to focus their attention on what matters: strengthening our domestic economy and improving the lives of regular Americans. Passing common-sense provisions in BIA like those supporting workforce development and strengthening our critical supply chains will sustain higher-wage jobs for American workers and bolster manufacturing for decades to come.

Absent congressional action, we will continue to suffer the consequences of decades of underinvestment in our nation’s manufacturing sector. We appreciate Senator Hassan coming to hear from us first-hand. It is time for Congress to move forward and help bring manufacturing back to the U.S. We can’t let this opportunity go to waste. We encourage Congress to pass the Bipartisan Innovation Act.

Nate Fuller is the operational general manager of CBI in Newton, New Hampshire.

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