MEP May See Budget Slashed

Federal funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership would be slashed by 63 percent to $39.6 million under the omnibus appropriations bill expected to pass Congress. The program provides technical assistance and business support services to small manufacturers through 60 centers with 400 locations across the country. It also receives funding from states and private-sector sources.

The Bush administration proposed an even bigger cut in MEP's budget: Its plan called for only $12.6 million in MEP appropriations, and restricted federal funding to centers that are less than 6 years old. The administration maintained that mature MEP centers should be self-sufficient, and that manufacturers who receive help from them should pay for it.

What is my take? MEP is a worthwhile government program that delivers valuable services to our nation's manufacturing sector. I look at the tremendous work that CAMP Inc. in NE Ohio provides to local manufacturers as a perfect example of what the MEP centers can offer to industry.

To cut the program's budget sends the wrong message to manufacturing companies that are struggling to innovate and stand strong in the face of growing foreign competition. This position undermines the Bush Administration's designation of a Manufacturing Representative in the Commerce Department. I say expand MEP and help the national network of centers become resources in coping with the growing competitive threats posed by China, India and other nations.

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