DAYTON, OH – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) visited the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) at the Wright Brothers Institute in Dayton to talk with local businesses that have collaborated with the institute on research and technology innovation. The Wright Brothers Institute is a nonprofit that partners with Wright-Patt to help small businesses and others with research and development.

“We want the technologies that will drive the next generation of U.S. economic growth and manufacturing to be developed in America, and to put people to work at good-paying jobs in America,” said Brown. “The Miami Valley has some of the most innovative technology and manufacturing talent in the country. We have the workers, we have an established network of businesses, we have Wright-Patt and AFRL, and we have the passion – we just need investment, to keep up with our competitors around the world.”

The U.S. Senate recently passed the bipartisan U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA), which included key provisions from Brown to make a once-in-a-generation investment in American science, technology and innovation to help the U.S. compete with China and other global competitors. Brown helped write and pass this bill in the Senate with wide bipartisan support, and if it’s passed by the House of Representatives it’ll go to the President’s desk for his signature.

More specifically, the USICA will:

  • Provide funding to support existing institutes like American Makes in Youngstown and create at least 15 more Manufacturing USA institutes, by committing $1.5 billion through 2025
  • Promote more direct collaboration with minority-serving institutions
  • Integrate the Manufacturing Extension Program – which provides critical assistance to small and medium-sized manufacturers

Competitors like China spend billions propping up state-owned enterprises and subsidizing research and development, sometimes even cheating American workers and businesses. The USICA will ensure the technologies that will drive the next generation of economic growth and manufacturing – from semiconductors to hydrogen buses to the next generation jet engine – will be developed in America, and put Ohioans to work at good-paying jobs.

Brown was joined by Jeffrey Graley, President of Mile 2, LLC; Rick Peters, CEO of Tangram Flex; and Wendell Banks, Executive Director at the Wright Brothers Institute.

“It was great to be able to show case some of Dayton’s resources and intellectual assets to Sen. Brown today. Dayton is poised to absorb investment from the US Innovation and Competition Act to provide meaningful return on investment through products and high paying jobs to regain Dayton’s legacy of being an innovation hub,” said Nick Ripplinger, CEO of BattleSite Technologies.

“The key to reaching a competitive edge is with breakthrough capability and that means finding the optimum balance between defense and commercial markets. Sen. Brown’s visit highlights how this bill can amplify programming at innovation hubs like WBI to transform Ohio’s economies” said Wendell Banks, Executive Director of the Wright Brothers Institute.

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