The Defend American Manufacturing Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to maintain and continue operating the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a federal program that provides support to manufacturers across the country. The bill requires the Commerce Department to compete, renew, and award funding to manufacturing extension centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico each fiscal year, starting in 2025, as long as Congress appropriates funds for the program. This change makes the program's operation mandatory rather than discretionary by changing the language from "may" to "shall" in the underlying National Institute of Standards and Technology Act. The bill affects manufacturers and the centers that support them with technical assistance and modernization services. No specific funding amount is designated in the legislation itself; instead, it depends on Congress approving appropriations through the normal budget process each year.
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