BILL REQ. #:  S-4444.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/05/04.   

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE WASHINGTON STATE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, AND TO SECRETARY DONALD L. EVANS OF THE U.S. COMMERCE DEPARTMENT:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, Manufacturing has provided our citizens with living wage jobs, benefits, and a higher standard of living; and
     WHEREAS, Small manufacturers are the backbone of manufacturing employment in the United States; and
     WHEREAS, U.S. manufacturing has faced serious competition from overseas manufacturers; and
     WHEREAS, The United States has lost nearly 2.7 million manufacturing jobs over the past three years; and
     WHEREAS, The loss of manufacturing jobs in the United States has become a critical concern to our citizens and economic well-being; and
     WHEREAS, The Manufacturing Extension Partnership supports our small manufacturers' competitive advantages: Innovation and productivity; and
     WHEREAS, Our Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Washington Manufacturing Services, has assisted over 800 manufacturers in Washington to become more efficient and competitive; and
     WHEREAS, In 2002 Washington Manufacturing Services projects produced an annual cost savings to Washington state manufacturers of an average of $8.5 million and an increase of product sales of $45 million; and
     WHEREAS, The impact of these projects has created $2.7 million in state revenue and $5 million in federal revenue; and
     WHEREAS, The proposed federal cut to the Manufacturing Extension Partnership from $109 million to $39 million--nearly two-thirds of its current funding--will cripple the one federal program specifically designed to help manufacturers; and
     WHEREAS, This budget reduction will leave Manufacturing Extension Partnerships struggling to serve thousands of small manufacturers who rely on their assistance each year;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully urge Congress to fully restore funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program in the fiscal year 2004 appropriation.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the Washington state congressional delegation and Secretary Donald L. Evans of the U.S. Commerce Department, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress.