WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives adopted an amendment authored by U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 today to require a report on the increased automation of the Defense manufacturing industry. Information from this report will be critical in protecting jobs in Rhode Island’s defense manufacturing sector.

“We’ve watched good-paying manufacturing jobs eliminated by automation or sent overseas for far too long,” Cicilline said. “It’s time to take a proactive approach to protecting these valuable jobs in the manufacturing industry for years to come, and this report will give us a blueprint to do just that. I appreciate the support of my colleagues in the House who voted to adopt this amendment.”

The Rhode Island manufacturing industry employs more than 40,000 people, approximately 8% of the state’s workforce. The manufacturing sector of the economy has a high multiplier effect. For every $1.00 spent in manufacturing, another $1.82 is added to the economy.

Cicilline’s amendment would require the Secretary of Defense to provide a report to Congress on the effects of increased automation in the defense manufacturing sector, including an estimated number of jobs that will be eliminated because of automation, an analysis and estimated number of new jobs that are expected to emerge as a result, an analysis of any potential threats caused by automation, a strategy to provide workers with the training and preparation they need to keep working in an increasingly automated industry, and any actions the Department plans to take to assist with worker transition.