Subcommittee will reconvene. Hearingthe most clunky ive ever participated in, let alone chaired and that is saying a lot for the United States senate, so i apologize for our way to our witnesses, but to all who are paying attention, how challenging it has been with the series of votes. Senator cantwell is next to question. Cantwell thank you for inviting a witness that is both in kansas ander a Washington State residents to boot. I do want to work with you on the manufacturing workforce workforce issue that you and senator warner introduced keeping the supply chain and aviation manufacturing. I appreciate this hearing and i know we are dealing with an increase in the number of cases and challenges we face. Im very proud our state has kept our rates of infections and hospitalizations down, and appreciate the ongoing efforts but im also impressed by the manufacturing efforts in our state. Everybody working together. Outdoor research converted one of its seattle facilities into making surgical masks. They used to make outdoor acquittance and now, they are making 400,000 surgical masks and 60000 and 95 respirators a week. Plastics and designs that matters and other medical expert designs to help with the shields. At one point, boeing was creating face shields, as well. Flow international produces cuttingssure jet systems and has produced over 200,000 medical grade face shields to the state and nearly 40,000 different distributors distillers, including the tribe that had just opened up new facilities, switched over to Hand Sanitizer. I feel the american spirit is alive and well with these manufacturers who have shifted production. Witnesses could talk about we had a lot of frustration on the defense production act, but what do we need to do to give clear indications to manufacturers that we still need this production level and how can we gain their help now that we are seeing a spike again and necessary equipment . Could you please repeat the first part of the question . What do we need to tell manufacturers . Of guidance directive do we need to give them to get these production levels up that we need because of the change in conditions we are facing for the next several months. If i may take this opportunity, the biggest is being ableace to sell. Two different channels to be pursued. One was to go after the opportunity to sell to at the local or federal level. The biggest challenge we ran into was by default, the policy whichd the lowest price, just meant that the product that is being dumped into the United States is the default choice. We cantt say necessarily compete and im not going to necessarily say that the American Consumer has to pay ut before wece, b achieve that level of economies of scale, there is a need for the American Manufacturing industry to be supported. That is not going to happen over a day or two. It is a process. It will help us scale. We have to build upscale to achieve economies of scale, but the first helping hand could policy to atifying least set aside a part of the procurement funds to go to american manufacturers. Rootsill help us put our in the mediumterm. The second one, probably not super relevant here, but nevertheless affecting us significantly is organic growth at its hightely point given we cant advertise directly to the consumer. Prominent search engines, google, bing, or social media like facebook, twitter, dont really allow us to advertise because they are worried about price couching gouging. The barriers that are established are making it difficult for us to put our roots by reaching out to the consumer. Sure this mask im wearing now was gotten off amazon. What do you mean . There are manufacturers producing supplies and they are unable to sell them because the modern way to reach the customer would be to advertise on google, make it available on amazon, and send a link that would appear at google and put an advertisement or maybe on facebook. I come from the Technology Industry initially, so i worked to some extent on bing, but microsoft. All of these opportunities are gone. The companies are worried, and rightly so, that there is price gouging practice due to false advertisement and everything, so american manufacturers, once we have a company on american soil, completely traceable. Is not like we are worried we should be scared of or we are not so prone or we cant easily abuse the ability to sell to the american customer like maybe others could. Sen. Cantwell basically, we need something of a clearinghouse . Case, point ofer Care Technology that just needed a little funding to go to scale airport,ould be an test within 20 minutes which, for aviation, would be incredibly important. We do have these manufacturers, so i agree with your first point about the funds. I agree we should help with some clearinghouse on making you feel comfortable you can advertise these products. You need to know they need a standard. Was there a third point on this . Mr. Bulusu that was it. I tried, by the way, reaching out to executives at amazon. Forner threeandahalf to four months, we found it difficult. If we cant get into amazon, there is a problem. Sen. Cantwell thank you, so basically funding and some way sure you feel you are comfortable meeting the standards and advertising people will feel comfortable you are meeting the standard. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Covid pandemic, we have seen the United States supply chain and Manufacturing Industry face a number of challenges to keep up with the demand of certain resources, particularly personal protective equipment. What steps should the United States take to make sure we have a more resilient supply chain . Thank you for your question, senator and i think we thisan all too clearly in sector, ppe, medicine, etc. , that has raised public attention, but this exists all across a broad crosssection of industries. First of all, in this sector, i think we need to make sure we have a Strategic National stockpile that is adequate to the task. As i said earlier, no one expected the virulence of this pandemic, but we have to understand that similar situations could arise in the future, and we need to make sure we are prepared. That means having domestic , includingavailable surge capacity. It may be idle, but we need to support it, potentially with federal funds. We need to make sure we have the stockpiles necessary to quickly deploy to meet needs. The fact is, our health care workers, those on the front lines, should not be having to search for equipment, having to potentially use substandard equipment or having to reuse that equipment. The dod has been looking at how to make sure the Industrial Base forble to meet surge needs any number of defense procurement needs. We need to focus more our own security and what types of Manufacturing Capabilities must exist here to support our National Economic health and agricultural security. , in yourovall testimony, you highlighted at the beginning of the pandemic, several manufacturers struggled finding suppliers to support their business needs. What other issues did you see with the supply chain and how has the manufacturing and Partnership Program than able to help alleviate some of those issues . Ms. Stovall thank you for the question. Like i mentioned in my no nationalhere is supply chain. Early on in the pandemic, we were all looking around. Where can we find ventilators . When can we find masks . Where can we find hospital gowns, curtains . All the things that were critically essential means to help this Public Health emergency, so what we did very early on i am reminded of a story ill never forget it. It was a sunday afternoon back in march. We got a call from directors across the national got any directorour executive of the program, carol thomas, and there was a request from the what house looking for manufacturers across the United States could manufacture ppe equipment. We were very early in this pandemic. Everyone was trying to figure out what this was and what the needs were going to be. We had two hours to respond on a sunday afternoon. Within two hours, the national were able to look into our own states. Even though there was not a national database, even though we didnt have, frankly, at the databases of who made ppe equipment in our state because of the relationships behalf we have, because of the work we had done in our state and across the national network, we were able to come up with a pretty exhaustive list just within a couple of hours on what manufacturers across the states could meet these ppe needs. That is one of the things weve been doing. One of the other things weve been doing is we heard earlier talking about the need for bottles. We hear those kinds of needs are all over the place. Manufacturers have really to tailorn their own their production to critical need ppe, but there are still gaps in supply chain. Level ast the state well as across the national is reallyve done build an understanding of what capabilities are in our state. What capabilities are in our states that can help meet this crisis . That is anything from bottles to dispensers, Hand Sanitizers, masks, n95 masks, all of the things that might go to any part of the supply chain. Weve been doing this state by state weve also been linking that through the national have, so we are able to help meet the needs not just in our state, but across the country. Thank you, and mr. Chairman, my time is expired. Questions to submit to the record. Sen. Moran the next senator to inquire a senator klobuchar. Klobuchar thank you to all the witnesses on this important topic of manufacturing. A few days ago, i talked to manufacturers in my state of Small Companies who are struggling in the pandemic because of coronavirus, quarantine, everything, so i would urge all of my colleagues it is time to do pandemic relief in the next month, that we cant wait until a new president comes in. I think we have to do it now. Only political statement here. Ill start with you, mr. Gilman. Required fors unemployed americans, people who didnt think they were going to lose their jobs and when we get to the day after tomorrow, on a vaccine, we will have different types of Jobs Available and we were already seeing we were did not have enough people in manufacturing to fill jobs. We still have openings in my a billate, so we have for chill skill changing credit. Isis bipartisan, there procurement and it can provide a wide range of training programs. Mr. Gilman, do you believe in increasing worker skill sets to help workers to reenter the workforce now or after we get to the other side of this . Gilman hello . Sen. Moran im not sure, senator that mr. Gilman is still there. That is critical. If we dont have the skills, we cant meet the needs of the manufacturers to get things back online, get people back to work, and meet our needs. Wantklobuchar anyone else to chime in on this . Thank you, mr. Russell. Ms. Stovall senator, this is tiffany stovall. Issue ishe Workforce One that is ongoing. It is not new to the covid pandemic obviously. Finding skilled work force has been a challenge for many manufacturers for some time and the manufacturers on the call would agree with that. Had been ahat particular challenge and particular concern during the covid pandemic is as manufacturers have had to navigate how they keep operations going, one of the things they are really worried about is keeping their workforce. Sen. Klobuchar especially for smaller ones, it is hard. Ms. Stovall absolutely, so they are trying to avoid layoffs at all costs, so we have helped and i know it is not just us, the kansas manufacturing, but others across the network, we have been handson in helping manufacturers, trying to give and others to the ppp resources that are available to and that they can stay open keep their folks employed. Big klobuchar and i am a fan of that. Thank you for the work you do. One last question and i will give this one to mr. Russell. In july, when you testified between before the commerce committee, you talked about the importance of standing up to practices. In the northern part of our state, a large part of the workforce up there. Now, we are going to have a new president coming in who i believe can usher in a more Strategic Policy and go away from the go it alone approach but what could be done to best work with new innovation as we stand up to unfair trade . Thank you for your question. That is the 64 trillion question. All, not move quickly to dismantle what this administration has put in place. As you noted, there are questions about strategy, but that strategy must be based on a longterm approach and not simply responding to the tactics of the day. As you know clearly, overcapacity in steel, aluminum, fiber optics and 15 or 18 other industries, mostly caused by chinas economic policies is what is threatening so many industries. We need specific disciplines that are enforceable and those need to be done in a multilateral setting. We have not had enough support from our allies and partners in the past. Weve had, as you know, the they now forum understand america is serious about addressing unfair trade. We want to do so with senator support and in cooperation and i believe congress is going to be withong bipartisan partner the Incoming Administration to do that, but no one should be confused by americas resolve to support our producers and our workers. That is steadfast. The question is what the longterm strategy is. Sen. Klobuchar very good. Thank you, mr. Chair. File now recognize senator baldwin. Wessel, imwin mr. Going to ask some questions, but i also want to note for the record, as ive been shuttling back and forth to the floor to take votes, as sometimes happens, there may have been things that youve tackled already but that is ok. We are nine months into this hearing and im still on a routine basis from Wisconsin Health care workers who cannot get a reliable supply of n95 masks, that they need to protect themselves and provide and for their patients, that is absolutely unacceptable in the United States of america. Began, ivendemic been calling on the Trump Administration to use the full power, all the power of the defense production act to alleviate these supply shortages including the shortage of the ppp that are essential workers need. Far, it is my observation the Trump Administration has only used it sporadically, well short of its full potential, failing to use all the tools that are available under the defense production act. Also, ive been concerned supposedly pa contract have gone middlemen and when priority orders were issued to major u. S. Companies under title i, they failed to utilize the full weight of the u. S. Government backing to incentivize these companies to truly expand their expanding capacity. Wouldsioner wessel, what it have meant and what would it mean Going Forward to fully unlock the power of the defense production act, specifically from a manufacturing perspective . Ms. Stovall thank you for your question, senator. Also, thank you for your leadership on this issue. You have helped provide some Critical Thinking and policy approaches to address this issue. I think it would have been in measurably an accomplishment to firsturable measure responders and patients, avoiding sickness. If we had utilized dpa withtively, quickly, accountability and transparency. It is not only about getting the funds, which you have been a leader. There was no accountability and no transparency as to where contracts were going for production or where the products and thatg deployed, needs to be fixed. We need legislation to make sure that never happens again. I appreciate that. I will note that in may of this the medicaloduced supply transparency and delivery act with my colleague, senator murphy, and others, which does lay out a framework for byective covid19 response federalizing and adding critical oversight and transparency to the supply chain for critical medical supply equipment. It also unlocks the full array of authorities under the defense production at. I certainly hope that when president elect Biden Takes Office in january, that he will use executive action to implement this framework and unleash that power as we will still have work to do. I know i have just a few seconds left, but the Trump Administration claims to asoritize Economic Security a National Security issue. In 2018s oped in real clear politics said we are in an era of intense economic competition and that into this breach comes donald trump with a new organizing principle for Strategic Policy. Economic security is National Security. Dhspril, acting director of chad wolf tweeted that Economic Securityis homeland and has made similar statements and testimonies to congress. When pushaborate comes to shove, it was a lot of talk and little action. Economicnas view of and National Defense policy is inextricably linked, President Trump has failed to underpin his economic policies with a National Security concern. Can you elaborate on how this failure put us in a strategic disadvantage in relation to Great Power Competition with china . Ms. Stovall that is a mr. Wessel that is a great question and a potentially long answer, but i will shorten it. Inextricablyts are intertwined and workers in the state provide countless benefits for making sure we support a strong economy, that we are able to support industry, critical industries, critical infrastructure. Their interests, their abilities support america while it has been undermined by chinas noneconomic predatory policies over a long period of time, but the impact of those is accelerated as china has passed its industrial policies, made in plan 2025, its fiveyear which will be updated in march. We have seen tactics applied to chinas policies, but not a longterm strategy to address the overall problems. Supportedhich i have are not a longterm strategy. To multiply our responses, make sure they are sustainable, and we need to make sure we have the ability to compete on a level playing field. It is an all of the above strategy that needs a coherent framework which we join with our allies on and where congress is a true partner. Sen. Baldwin thank you, commissioner. I yield back. Senator rosen is the last senator, i think, to be able to question our witnesses and we need to conclude our hearing shortly thereafter. This Committee Room is to be occupied again and in preparation to do so, he needs to take place soon. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I want to thank everyone here for being here. My colleagues have already asked about reef workforce training and retraining because during this pandemic, American Ingenuity has spot and many have the ability to tackle these insurmountable problems. For example, when the pandemic a nevada, they started making fay shields and participant partitions for casinos and agencies. The center teamed up with our downss center to produce for local health care workers. This august, i had the opportunity to virtually visit churchill county. They make bourbon and they. Hifted to Hand Sanitizer the henderson area in las vegas, switched to produce Hand Sanitizer. I want to thank you for addressing some of the challenges we have doing this for ppe and some of the other things because you know having a Skilled Workforce that is able to be nimble and adapt is going to impact how we deploy our businesses but i want to build believebecause i also we have to build Consumer Confidence if we are going back indoors. We are worried about the quality of our air. Indoor air quality, going to restaurants, arenas, concerts, hotels and casinos. , in your experience working with small and mediumsize manufacturers, do you know of companies that are working to produce these important types of hepa filters and Filtration Systems that we will need, electronic air cleaners that will jumpstart the economy and make consumers more confident to go back indoors after the pandemic . Ms. Stovall thank you for the question. Yes, as a matter of fact. In your comments, you referenced ingenuity and the ingenuity of manufacturers, manufacturing is built on innovation. We are a country of makers. We make things. This that wes like have critical needs, needs that may be a little different than they were six months prior to that, that companies are looking to say, how can we do better at meeting the need . That is where innovation comes from and companies are doing this on their own. I keep pulling that out because i want you all to understand the whatr investment, the manufacturers are doing on their own and what we need to be ample to do to support them. To your question, are there companies that are looking at Indoor Air Quality, absolutely. They are, because that is a need. While we are looking at whatever needs right now, masks, ventilators, those kinds of needs, we are also looking at what gets us back to some sense of normalcy, right . What will make the public comfortable with going into buildings and into retail spaces and Office Spaces . Is an increased focus on air quality so yes, that is something being looked at by manufacturers in kansas and across the country. Sen. Rosen i thank you for that. I would like to speak more about that, but there is another committee coming in now, so i will submit those questions for the record. I think it is really important we talk about Indoor Air Quality and getting back to sports and school and all of the things that we do. I will yield back my last few seconds and i thank you all for being here today. Sen. Moran thank you for your participation today. We are just about to conclude this hearing, but it is my practice to ask any witnesses if they have anything they want to clarify or something they wish they would have been asked, something they wish they would have said. Very good. Thank you all for joining us this afternoon. This is a very important topic, and we need to figure out the policies that are necessary to strengthen and grow our manufacturing economy, creating jobs in kansas and the United States, but also as a way to protect citizens from a pandemic and other emergencies and crises that will occur by having access to various manufactured products that are necessary for our countrys wellbeing, health and economic. Yes, sir . Mr. Chairman, i note that neil gilman is back on the line. I want him to know i was bragging about him. I want to say to him how much i admire what he has done and all the entrepreneurs and manufacturers on this call. I think this hearing has really been very inspiring to see the kind of ingenuity and creativeness and innovativeness which is really the hallmark of america. They can exploit intellectual property, their workers, and try to undercut but in the long run, our system will beat theirs and we will be safer in terms of our health care and our economy because of the patriots that we had at this hearing today. You and i had a chance to talk youre floor and i think leadership here has been very important. You and i can Work Together in continuing showing how and theseing ppe Health Care Supplies are so important to our country so my thanks to you for this hearing and to all of our witnesses. Thank you for your assistance, leadership, and i look forward to continued efforts in pursuing this topic and others in the subcommittees jurisdiction. The hearing record will remain open for two weeks. Senators are asked to submit questions for the record. Upon receipt, the witnesses are requested to submit their written answers to the committee as soon as possible. Hearingcludes todays and i think our witnesses, our staff, and apologize for the on again, off again nature of todays hearing through no fault of anyone in the rooms efforts. We had a disjointed chance to have testimony told but it was compelling and useful and i am grateful for that. With that, the hearing is adjourned. [gaevel] republican senator Chuck Grassley has tested positive for covid19. At 87 years old, hes the second oldest lawmaker currently serving in the senate. In a tweet, senator grassley says ive tested positive for coronavirus. Ill be following doctors orders. Cdc guidelines, and continue to quarantine. Im feeling good and will keep up my work for the people of iowa from home. I appreciate everyones well wishes and prayers and look forward to resuming my normal schedule soon. Listen to cspans podcast, the weekly. Women in the recent elections with the center of american. Omen and politics what changed this election cycle for women and why . Find cspans the weakly, where you get your podcasts. Cspan,p wednesday on the house is back at 10 00 a. M. For general speeches, legislative business at noon. Members take up several bills from the Foreign Affairs committee and a vote on whether to go to conference with the senate to look at differences on legislation that sets defense programs and policy for fiscal year 2021. Returnsn2, the senate at 10 00 a. M. Eastern to consider judicial nominations. On cspan3, a confirmation hearing for three nominees picked to serve as members of commission. Election later in the day, a Senate GovernmentalAffairs Subcommittee looks at how federal agencies are handling telework during the coronavirus pandemic. That gets underway at 3 00 p. M. Eastern. Next, a look at the 2020 Election Results with atlantic are Senior EditorRon Bronstein and charlie cook. They talk about demographic trends, what Political Parties should learn from the results and how the election outcome might impact future policymaking. Posted by national journal, this is just under an hour. Leah