U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank announced yesterday that their agencies will be partnering to help revitalize the U.S. railway manufacturing sector and encourage the creation of domestic manufacturing jobs.

According to a Department of Commerce press release, “The Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) will help to ensure manufacturers meet the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) strict ‘Buy America’ and ‘Buy American’ standards, connecting U.S. manufacturers and suppliers for work on highways, railways and transit projects, and in the process help to create jobs”

This is great news for American manufacturers.  They stand to benefit from domestic transit projects, including the Obama Administration’s planned investments in high-speed passenger rail.

In yesterday’s statement, Secretary LaHood praised this initiative for “strengthening our economy by providing opportunities for American companies and their employees to build our transportation system here at home” and Acting Secretary Blank called it “a win for workers and communities across America.” We agree.

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