SMRP Fly-In To Discuss Issues Facing U.S. Manufacturing Workforce

Members of the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP) will convene on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, March 23 to discuss the barriers and opportunities for strengthening the American manufacturing industry and workforce.

ATLANTA, GA — Members of the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP) will convene on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. today to discuss the barriers and opportunities for strengthening the American manufacturing industry and workforce.

SMRP is a nonprofit organization composed of more than 5,500 maintenance, reliability and physical asset management professionals who provide expertise on the risk and resiliency of critical infrastructure and equipment across a variety of key industries in the U.S. Its members work for some of the largest companies in the world as well as America’s small businesses.

The society’s members will meet with U.S. senators and representatives in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, the House Committee on Homeland Security, and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, among others. They plan to discuss federal investment in and support for critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the Smart Grid, as well as workforce development issues such as career and technical education (CTE), apprenticeship programs and worker safety regulations.

“Our members are excited to share their unique perspective on how federal agencies and Congress may enact protections and opportunities to allow the manufacturing industry to flourish,” said John Ferraro, SMRP’s Government Relations Director. “Improving America’s critical infrastructure, particularly energy and cybersecurity infrastructure, requires similar investments in our workforce’s education, training and safety. These actions will support manufacturers that employ thousands of American workers that are crucial to our nation’s economy.”

SMRP’s members have provided key insight and opinions to U.S. government agencies over the past three years, including participation in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) presentations and submitting comment on key legislation affecting the American workforce. See more information on SMRP’s government relations program here.

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