,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cabf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #be1     
#bjah ,mr4 ,whitehouse introduced the   
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
  ,a ,,bill  ,to allow ,state           
manufacturing extension partnerships to 
award grants to small and medium sized  
manufacturers for the purpose of        
training new workers to replace         
departing experienced workers4  #a4     
,short title  ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,retain ,innovation and            
,manufacturing ,excellence 7,,rime7 ,act
 of #bjah4  #b4 ,definitions ,in this   
,act3 7#a7 ,center ,the term ,center has
 the meaning given the term in section  
#be7;a7 of the ,national ,institute of  
,standards and ,technology ,act 7#ae    
,u4,s4,c4 #bghk7a774  7#b7 ,eligible    
manufacturers ,the term eligible        
manufacturer means a manufacturer that--
 7,a7 is a small business concern1 as   

that term is defined under section #c of
 the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae         
,u4,s4,c4 #fcb72 and  7,b7 has an       
existing relationship with a ,center4   
#c4 ,pilot program  7a7 ,in general ,the
 ,secretary of ,commerce shall establish
 a pilot program to award ,national     
,institute of ,standards and ,technology
 ,manufacturing ,extension ,partnership 
7,,mep7 grants to help ensure an        
adequately trained manufacturing        
workforce4 ,under the program1 eligible 
,centers may award ,,mep grants to      
eligible manufacturers to retain        
retiring employees for up to #ij days   
for the purpose of transferring         
job-specific skills and training to     
existing or new employees4 ,the length  
of each grant shall be determined       
through negotiations between the ,center
 and the eligible manufacturer4  7b7    
,eligibility ,in order to be eligible to
 receive funding and award grants under 
the program1 a ,center-- 7#a7 must be   
able to document evidence of an aging   

workforce within manufacturing firms    
that are seeking assistance with        
retaining skills and knowledge of their 
operations2 and  7#b7 shall establish a 
transparent application process for     
eligible manufacturing firms that may   
include one or more of the following    
preferences3  7,a7 ,a preference for    
manufacturers that employ veterans      
discharged or released under honorable  
conditions4  7,b7 ,a preference for     
manufacturing firms from industry       
sectors that are most in need of        
assistance as determined by the local   
,,mep4  7,c7 ,a preference for          
manufacturing firms with a facility in  
the ,state or region for an extended    
period of time before the application is
 submitted 7as determined by the        
,center74  7,d7 ,a preference for       
manufacturing firms that have an        
existing relationship with the local    
,,mep4  7c7 ,cost sharing ,state and    
local agencies shall provide #ej percent
 of the funds awarded as part of a grant

 under the pilot program under this     
section4  7d7 ,number and size of awards
  7#a7 ,number ,the ,secretary may award
 up to #bj grants to ,centers under the 
pilot program4  7#b7 ,size ,each award  
under the program shall be for not less 
than #ejj1jjj4  7e7 ,authorization of   
appropriations ,there is authorized to  
be appropriated to the ,national        
,institute of ,standards and ,technology
 #bj1jjj1jjj to carry out the pilot     
program4