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ELMSFORD, N.Y. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand visited Elmsford Friday to announce her "advancement manufacturing agenda," three bills she has written to increase manufacturing jobs in the state and the country.
To promote the legislation, she has visited high-tech and clean-energy companies around New York, such as transportation systems manufacturer Bombardier, in Plattsburgh, and industrial battery charges maker Applied Energy Solutions, in Caledonia.
On Friday morning it was Elmsford's turn. Gillibrand and Congresswoman Nita Lowey stopped at Hypres, a developer of digital superconductors on Clearbrook Road. Gillibrand told the audience, which included the company's executives, Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti and assorted Westchester officials, that, while traditional manufacturing jobs took the hardest hits in the state this century, high-tech and advanced manufacturing are actually thriving.
Computer and electronic manufacturing industries increased employment by 9 percent from 2004 to 2008, she said, adding that, out of the 250,000 jobs these industries have at upstate New York, 44 percent are in the most advanced technology areas.
Today I am announcing three pieces of legislation that I hope will increase our opportunities in this arena, Gillibrand said.
The first piece of legislation that she discussed is called the "Made In America" grants, meant to help small-and-medium-size manufacturers in communities with high unemployment to retool their operations and retrain their employees for advanced manufacturing.
The senator then said that she is working to pass the Security in Energy and Manufacturing (SEAM) Act., a 30 percent tax credit for companies investing in clean-energy manufacturing projects.
Its a very effective tool to leverage private investments in these industries, Gillibrand said.
Finally, the senator mentioned that she is also pushing for the New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act, an extension of an already-in-place 39 percent tax credit to help revitalizing distressed communities.
Gillibrand pointed out that since 2007 the tax credit has been extended on a year-to-year basis.
My proposal will give it a long term extension, so that the community can make long-term, strategic investments, attract more businesses and create more jobs, she said.
Feiner welcomed the senators initiatives.
Its really a relief that the federal government is doing something to address these major problems, he said, referring to unemployment.
Gillibrand plans to propose the Made In America amendment as part of president Obamas jobs bill once senate takes it up, according to Angie Hu, the senators press secretary.
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