[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6212765,"mediaKeyId","3683377-24ec1b5a17e2c7502b6d6df0c37cd958","parentId",3683377,"title","Witnesses and lawmakers tell committee tariff uncertainty is discouraging investment in U.S. manufacturing","audioSeconds",982,"startMs",640000,"endMs",1622000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3683377-24ec1b5a17e2c7502b6d6df0c37cd958&start=640&end=1622","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3683377-24ec1b5a17e2c7502b6d6df0c37cd958/thumbnail_640000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6212765/Witnesses-and-lawmakers-tell-committee-tariff-uncertainty-is-discouraging-investment-in-US-manufacturing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212765-04f98591d3a2811107acce6ecc43a294/orig.mp4?Expires=1770649133&Signature=DZvNQOXDTN05M0DY8YT3RDmAtt~LtgbAG9XoAPkXOknk-RXjjOXM5N2TdEsvqJq65OOvkV3WFI99Qx8hRDQjxvRdnUSmEFH65PPd6qG9wi9X5eJd8ycRyZ~NnRJ39iPQMiyjdurzAEOPDy~RozBBS1W0h6ys5rXRkX6S-rIpgc9wLXDiKywJfbi5ML-m66uXW8fMXIbYWqsSVIr95K-DnNOQjwHLDhQzHryCUqhwY5NonY1PIWY~AvS7amC5FMe5rpHmdonnpm6A8knJlMVChElN56KSJgCMYXIdYqY45HsYw54Hk-rgj~0sKSJX3PSK32BJ7mroaYfk0M7jUfRT4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Joint Economic Committee","date","2025-06-05T00:00:00Z","article","Washington — At a Joint Economic Committee hearing focused on strengthening U.S. manufacturing and supply chains, witnesses and members repeatedly cited tariff uncertainty as a major deterrent to private investment.

Yossi Sheffey of MIT told the committee, “It’s the uncertainty that’s killing us, killing companies,” describing how rapid or unpredictable tariff changes lead firms to hold excess inventory, delay investments and pause hiring.

Dr. Sujay Shivakumar of the Center for Strategic and International Studies told the committee that while tariffs can be useful to address unfair trade practices, “a tariff‑only strategy that does not address the workforce development and infrastructure build‑out and regulatory relief for renewing U.S. manufacturing will not be effective.” He added that high or volatile tariffs can introduce uncertainty that discourages private investment and prompt firms to develop alternate supply chains that bypass the United States.

Why it matters: multiple lawmakers and witnesses said tariff volatility — including sizeable recent increases in applied rates — creates short‑term shocks in imports and retail hiring and raises the cost of inputs for U.S. manufacturers. Committee members asked witnesses whether tariff policy should be combined with investment in workforce and infrastructure to be effective.

Witnesses and lawmakers asked for follow‑up data on trade flows, tariff incidence and the impact of tariff changes on specific sectors. They also urged clearer, more predictable trade policy as part of a broader industrial strategy that couples trade tools with workforce, infrastructure and regulatory reforms.

Ending: The committee signaled plans to review data on tariff impacts alongside studies of permitting and workforce initiatives to craft coordinated legislative responses.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","HEARING: Barriers to Supply Chain Modernization and Factor Productivity Enhancements","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple witnesses said unpredictable and volatile tariff policy is deterring private investment and inventory decisions, adding to supply‑chain uncertainty that can stall hiring and capital spending.","taxTitle","Joint Economic Committee, Joint Committees, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1966,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6212767,"Experts: U.S. ports face capacity, scale and automation barriers that slow supply chains",351,897000,1248000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3683377-24ec1b5a17e2c7502b6d6df0c37cd958&start=897&end=1248","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3683377-24ec1b5a17e2c7502b6d6df0c37cd958/thumbnail_897000.jpg","/articles/6212767/Experts-US-ports-face-capacity-scale-and-automation-barriers-that-slow-supply-chains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212767-633221c263d72d30bbb7219d1d426eb2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770649133&Signature=epdKrkY3MHyRltvdTOy5KqnHv~-AplzmbNDAdmveidZFC-if9KIp0J0IG5cPn8YTwI7zusgQtYyKAnhIluYFryhG~ZI0HvdaRzNqAwtWUsFOYUTBlpdlaLTUd72Y~kVIfnSh5huSaqE3pN~t9aERlC2XXTNMdVprYAkFi8OwyBqmKhjyYC-Ollb2wIx9x8hUw~SFeIXYeKROex6VBVQMVaHc0szRQtUPjxH6Z2BtvMg9BKpqdjFkUYQgO7AwF36mDeanC6pR905ehbbVfIxqDNGl2Zv39iFhbEZ4zJQnde3DLBss4NYIOYZhXZq~H1zNpi4ga6Ne0yz~GzTXiMgAYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Washington — A logistics expert told the Joint Economic Committee that U.S. ports are confronting multiple structural barriers — from land scarcity and dredging needs to labor constraints and low automation — that limit throughput and raise costs for supply chains.

“My blunt statement is that the United States is no longer a commercial maritime power,” the witness said, outlining what he called six major barriers to port logistics and trade flows. He said U.S. ports must improve capacity planning and national coordination to keep pace with growing container volumes.

Why it matters: Ports are a central node in supply chains. Witnesses said constrained capacity or slow turnaround times at ports can propagate delays to manufacturers, retailers and exporters and can raise costs for consumers and businesses.

In his testimony the witness described rising container volumes and the infrastructure gap: “Each year, we add about close to 1,600,000 20‑foot equivalent unit,” he said, adding that the United States has limited land to expand ports and faces expensive dredging requirements. He also highlighted an imbalance in container flows — imports tend to arrive full while many exports leave as empty boxes — which complicates equipment availability for exporters.

On labor and automation the witness said unions’ stances have slowed automation efforts in U.S. ports and that automation is a necessary path to higher density and productivity where land is constrained. He added a productivity comparison: “The United States is 30% less efficient than the global average” on ship turnaround and terminal processing time, in his assessment.

Committee members pointed to successful intermodal clusters — Memphis was cited as an example where air, river, rail and trucking combine with private logistics firms to create dense logistics ecosystems — and asked whether public policy can better attract private terminal operators and modern technology.

The witness urged a coordinated national port infrastructure strategy that aligns investment, workforce development and regulatory clarity so private operators can invest in automation and expanded capacity with less risk.

Ending: The committee requested follow‑up materials on port automation pilots, dredging constraints, and examples of successful public‑private cluster development to inform possible federal policy steps.","A port logistics expert told the Joint Economic Committee the United States is struggling with infrastructure, scale, seasonal imbalances and labor issues that leave ports less efficient than global peers and hamper supply‑chain resilience.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6212769,"Witnesses tell Joint Economic Committee U.S. must rebuild manufacturing capacity with skilled workers and faster permitting",1295,488000,1783000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3683377-24ec1b5a17e2c7502b6d6df0c37cd958&start=488&end=1783","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3683377-24ec1b5a17e2c7502b6d6df0c37cd958/thumbnail_488000.jpg","/articles/6212769/Witnesses-tell-Joint-Economic-Committee-US-must-rebuild-manufacturing-capacity-with-skilled-workers-and-faster-permitting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6212769-0c674298c2ca80f6fec34c0119ecc6fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770649133&Signature=KkJW~7stAzbQdRosJR1Xvk4eIn225i~BraKnA2QhEMelS5b~kCoFH4yueEyOzVH~bAX-SFGylyoFyl3QtKTtiUaq-oFYmSOeMnt~t-Jhvn-xLfIJq5dfy49AKyCIG77jMrn67viNai~VdDboQTo0UTPfzOgcAv5rp1HeCH5QJrwKPS54ee-5Y2Yg5xA6lf4go-aMuOUCIUM4S8SR1RaV5cpH3FXtl4EP6oxgdX8k5urbx45dwHXsOsJtrXzHyopGukzlzOi9gEkC0B-SRJnutoeVdsNGUyeiXhl2zNW9f93o6P9xQRrC6xtizM3lSgXJroBSXIl9-i5-WBdqoExPCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Washington — Experts testifying before the Joint Economic Committee on manufacturing policy on Thursday told members that federal incentives and state and local partnerships are boosting plans to bring critical plants to the United States, but that workforce shortages and slow permitting could hobble those investments.

The core challenge, Dr. Sujay Shivakumar, director of Renewing American Innovation at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the committee, is reconnecting research and production: “We need to move manufacturing and the infrastructure that supports manufacturing back into the center of our strategy.” He added that federal, state and local governments must coordinate on workforce, infrastructure and regulation.

Why it matters: several witnesses said the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act are already driving investment in semiconductor fabs and other advanced manufacturing projects — but that permitting delays and mismatches between firm needs and training programs threaten to delay or raise the cost of those projects.

Shivakumar said roughly “95% of the CHIPS Act’s incentive supports semiconductor fabrication,” and that construction timelines for new fabs are being extended by permitting processes. “Permitting delays can stretch for years,” he said, and cited industry estimates that environmental reviews such as those under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) can add “4 to 5 years” to some projects.

Witnesses pushed three near‑term policy priorities: 1) align federal incentives with state and local workforce training and infrastructure funding, 2) modernize permitting and regulatory processes to give investors predictable, expedited timelines while preserving environmental safeguards, and 3) expand vocational and technical education to supply the technicians, operators and maintenance workers who will run high‑tech plants.

Yossi Sheffey, a professor at MIT and director of the MIT Center for Transportation Logistics, emphasized skill shortages. “One of the main challenges in reshoring is the lack of manpower,” Sheffey said, arguing for greater investment in trade schools and apprenticeships for positions such as CNC operators, electricians and robot technicians.

Committee members and witnesses also debated trade tools. Shivakumar said a “tariff‑only strategy that does not address the workforce development and infrastructure build‑out and regulatory relief … will not be effective,” adding that volatile tariffs introduce uncertainty that can deter private investment.

The hearing included multiple requests for follow‑up data and site visits. Witnesses urged lawmakers to couple incentive programs with clearer timelines for environmental reviews and with explicit workforce commitments from industry and states.

Looking ahead: witnesses framed the task as urgent because of both national security concerns and the pace of technological change. They recommended that Congress consider targeted statutory changes to speed predictable environmental review for major, federally‑incentivized projects, paired with funding to expand apprenticeships and community college programs that map directly to employer needs.","Experts told the Joint Economic Committee that restoring U.S. manufacturing requires dovetailing federal incentives such as the CHIPS and Science Act with workforce training, infrastructure upgrades and swifter regulatory reviews to avoid multi‑year delays.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Witnesses and lawmakers tell committee tariff uncertainty is discouraging investment in U.S. manufacturing

Experts: U.S. ports face capacity, scale and automation barriers that slow supply chains

Witnesses tell Joint Economic Committee U.S. must rebuild manufacturing capacity with skilled workers and faster permitting