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How Your Congressional Member Can Help

In the Appropriations process, House and Senate Appropriations Committee staff will look for respective member requests when developing their budgets.  The best way to ensure level funding for the MEP program in FY15 is to have as many Representatives and Senators submit individual programmatic requests as possible.

To make the process as easy as possible for your local members, ASMC has developed (for you to customize) Member to Member and Senate to Senate letters for you to send to congressional staff to assist them in the process.

• FY15 CJS Programmatic Request Form
• FY15 Member to Member letter
• FY15 Senate to Senate letter

Have Your Representative Sign the Dear Colleague Letter

Have Your Senator Sign the Dear Colleague Letter

Centers and client can email your local Senators and their staff requesting the Congressman sign onto the Dear Colleague Letter (DCL). The letter will be sent to Senate CJS Chairman Mikulski (D-MD),and Ranking Member Shelby (R-AL).

Congressional Testimony

House Legislative Action
The Honorable Larry Bucshon
NIST Reauthorization Act of 2014 | July 22, 2014

“Another critical program in this legislation is the Hollings Manufacturing Partnership, or MEP. This program provides assistance to small, U.S.-based manufacturing companies to help identify and adopt new technologies and manufacturing techniques.

This bill answers a need expressed by the manufacturing community and changes the existing cost share structure within the MEP program so that a 1-1 ratio of Federal and matching funds is held throughout the life of the center.

The bill also includes language to ensure centers are reevaluated and face a new competition every 10 years.

In my State of Indiana, Purdue University serves as the MEP of our region. Clabber Girl, a small business I visited in the Eighth District of Indiana, is a prime example of the important impact MEPs have on our economy. This manufacturer of baking powder, baking soda, and cornstarch has utilized Purdue University’s Technical Assistance Program, which has assisted over 12,000 organizations and trained over 26,000 employees since 1986.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, as NIST is an agency critical to the advancement of the United States technology and scientific industries.” Read more…

Statement before the House Budget Committee
The Honorable Michael M. Honda
Members’ Hearing Day | March 25, 2014

“The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) works with small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers to help them create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money. The MEP provides a variety of important services, from innovation strategies to process improvements to green manufacturing. It also works with partners at the state and federal levels on programs that put manufacturers in position to develop new customers, expand into new markets and create new products. These investments will help our manufacturers overcome today’s and tomorrow’s challenges so that high-paying skilled labor can find a home on our shores.” Read more…