River Bend Times

The U.S House of Representatives has passed the Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act (H.R. 5390), a legislation that mandates the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study on the viability of increasing domestic manufacturing, particularly for products crucial to our critical infrastructure sectors.

The bill was proposed by U.S. Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (IA-01), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08), Annie Kuster (NH-02), Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), and Bill Johnson (OH-06). It now proceeds to the U.S. Senate for further deliberation.

A recording of Miller-Meeks’ speech on the floor regarding the bill is accessible online.

Miller-Meeks first introduced the Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act in September 2023. The legislation instructs the Secretary of Commerce to carry out a study that identifies imported goods essential to critical infrastructure that are in high demand, estimates the costs of manufacturing these goods domestically, and includes feasibility studies for producing these products in rural communities, industrial parks and rural industrial parks. The findings must be reported to Congress within 18 months following the full passage of the bill.