CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) -A bipartisan bill in the U.S. House is meant to address the ongoing supply chain issue. The formal name of the bill is the Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act.
First District Congresswoman Ashley Hinson helped introduce the bill. It would direct the Department of Commerce to study products that are in high demand across the supply chain.
They would then decide on which ones can be manufactured in the United States, instead of being imported from overseas.
Hinson says the supply chain issue is a global one, and that America can’t simply rely on other parts of the world to get items shipped here.
She says it would also lead to more manufacturing jobs, especially in rural America. The bill calls for studying the feasibility of manufacturing products in in rural areas, and industrial parks.
“We’ve seen a lot of those manufacturing jobs over the last 20 years or so really go overseas,” said Hinson. “We need to look at how we can fix that problem.”
Some products in high demand Hinson says she would like built here is medical equipment, batteries, and semiconductor chips for vehicles.
Gavin McGrath with McGrath Chevyland in Cedar Rapids says the chip shortage is limiting the number of cars they get. It’s making their lot very empty. He says the chips are made from Taiwan, and he would benefit anything that can get companies chips faster, and more cars on his lot.
“Anytime we can keep things here in the US, the efficiency, the speed, and certainly the jobs we create,” he said. “I think there could be a lot of big positives for that.”
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