{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-holds-manufacturing-roundtable-to-help-ocean-state-businesses-optimize-economic-growth", "Reed Holds Manufacturing Roundtable to Help Ocean State Businesses Optimize Economic Growth", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", "jackreed", "https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases", "scraper", "PAWTUCKET, RI \u2013 Highlighting Rhode Island\u2019s vital manufacturing sector and the continued growth of advanced manufacturing across the Ocean State, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today convened a roundtable discussion with local businesses that produce Rhode Island made products.\n\nDuring the forum, small business leaders, industry experts, and manufacturing assistance organizations discussed key challenges and trends facing local manufacturers and several programs geared toward helping entrepreneurs grow and optimize their businesses.\n\nPartnering with Polaris MEP, a statewide non-profit \u2018manufacturing extension partnership\u2019 that serves as a manufacturing support center, and the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association, Senator Reed today heard from several local manufacturers about challenges, successes, and a wide range of issues from child care and health care to infrastructure and supply chains to workforce development and cutting red tape.\n\n\u201cRhode Island\u2019s manufacturers are critical to our economy. They are powered by innovation and produce a range of well-made products, as well as jobs and opportunities. When manufacturers grow and thrive, so does our economy. That\u2019s why I continue working at the federal level to support our small businesses and strengthen Rhode Island\u2019s manufacturing ecosystem. That includes investing in workforce development and making sure we have the right programs in place to connect people to in-demand job skills and ensure enough qualified candidates to fill job vacancies,\u201d said Senator Reed.\n\nRhode Island is home to over 1,600 manufacturing companies that employ approximately 8.5 percent of the Ocean State\u2019s total workforce. Rhode Island\u2019s manufacturers have a multiplying effect across the state\u2019s economy, with every $1 in pay for manufacturing workers resulting in an income increase of 90 cents for other workers in the state.\n\nAccording to Rhode Island Commerce, the total economic output from the state\u2019s manufacturers was $5.28 billion in 2021.\n\nSenator Reed says that strengthening and expanding efforts on the federal level to support Rhode Island\u2019s manufacturers will help increase wages, bolster the state\u2019s economy, and better position the state to be a leader in numerous industries.\n\n\u201cHearing from today\u2019s group of outstanding leaders in the manufacturing community, it is clear that our state\u2019s manufacturing landscape continues to strengthen and evolve,\u201d said Senator Reed. \u201cToday\u2019s manufacturers rely on increasingly skilled and specialized employees to operate sophisticated, computer-based machinery and technology. I will continue to support our manufacturers, lower costs for businesses, and ensure the dedicated employees who power our economy are paid good wages for their hard work. I will bring the messages I heard today back to our nation\u2019s capital to ensure we can continue to support small business here in Rhode Island and nationwide.\u201d\n\nCelebrated every October, Manufacturing Month recognizes and promotes the success of U.S. manufacturers in the global marketplace while encouraging sustained growth and innovation in a variety of industries.\n\nThis year\u2019s roundtable included business owners and representatives from the Cooley Group, a Pawtucket manufacturer of advanced textiles with industrial, commercial, and defense applications; Chi Kitchen, a Pawtucket food manufacturer; SENESCO Marine, a Quonset boatbuilder that works closely with the offshore wind industry and develops new, state-of-the-art hybrid ferries; Dewetron, an East Greenwich manufacturer of computerized testing technology used in the aerospace industry and by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and Reade Advanced Materials, an East Providence chemical manufacturer with a global reach.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-holds-manufacturing-roundtable-to-help-ocean-state-businesses-optimize-economic-growth"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6398257575929165, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}