Sherrill Announces American Jobs and Competition Plan, A Legislative Package to Grow New Jersey’s Economy and Stand up to the Chinese Communist Party

WATCH: Congresswoman Sherrill Speaks in Trenton

First Pillar in the Plan — the Leading Global Innovation Resolution — is a Call to Action for the U.S. on the Chinese Communist Party’s “Made in China 2025” Agenda and Economic Aggression

In the Coming Months, Sherrill Will Introduce Additional American Jobs and Competition Plan Bills to Address Unfair Economic Practices by the CCP

TRENTON, NJ — Today at Thomas Edison State University, standing with New Jersey business and labor leaders, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill announced the American Jobs and Competition Plan — a legislative package aiming to strengthen America’s economic and national security in the face of competition with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The American Jobs and Competition Plan is Sherrill’s first major legislative push as part of her new assignment on the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and Chinese Communist Party, which was created at the beginning of the 118th Congress. Sherrill introduced the first pillar of the plan, the Leading Global Innovation Resolution, which is a call to action for the public, private, and nonprofit sectors on the CCP’s “Made in China 2025” plan, a state-led industrial policy that aims to make China the global leader in cutting-edge technology and innovation.

In the coming months, Sherrill will introduce more legislation as part of the American Jobs and Competition Plan to address security challenges posed by CCP-affiliated technology, combat the CCP’s unfair trade practices, boost the role of the Department of Commerce, and strengthen America’s partnerships and alliances.

“For too long, policymakers haven’t given the Chinese Communist Party’s ‘Made in China 2025’ plan the attention or urgency it deserves — and that ends today. We must act swiftly to counter the CCP’s escalating economic aggression and attempts to dominate the technology of the future that is so critical to our economic and national security,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill. “I’ve heard from too many New Jersey businesses that have been targets of the CCP’s unfair and illegal trade practices — hurting their ability to grow and create jobs here at home. Building on my efforts to pass the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, this resolution is a bipartisan call to action for the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to work together to ensure that the U.S. is competitive for the future, and to win this era of strategic competition with the CCP.”

Select Committee Chairman Mike Gallagher and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi joined as original cosponsors of the resolution.

“I’m proud to support this bipartisan resolution to call out the CCP’s track record of malign economic practices that undermine U.S. national security, destroy American jobs, and weaken our industrial base,” said Select Committee Chairman Mike Gallagher. 

“It is critical that Congress call out and counter the CCP’s efforts to put their thumb on the scale at the expense of American workers and businesses,” said Select Committee Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi. “I support Congresswoman Sherrill’s resolution and commend her leadership in pushing back against malign CCP practices while making America more competitive for the future.”

The Leading Global Innovation Resolution is a call to action for Congress, the federal government, and private industry about the challenges from the CCP’s economic aggression — and an opportunity to address this with a whole of government and private sector approach. The resolution details the “Made in China 2025” plan’s history and intentions to dominate technology of the future — like semiconductors, AI, and quantum computing — and also outlines the CCP’s many well-known cases of unfair trade practices, economic espionage, and other malign activities against American businesses. Finally, the resolution urges the public, private, and non-profit sectors to invest together in key industries and workforce training initiatives to outcompete this CCP strategy.

This resolution has already received endorsements from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, IBEW Local 102, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, New Jersey Veterans Chamber of Commerce, New Jersey Business and Industry Association, Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey, and New Jersey Council of County Colleges. Several organizations also issued statements of support:

“Congresswoman Sherrill’s resolution will help give New Jersey workers and businesses a level playing field on which to compete with international actors, like China,” said State Senator Linda Greenstein (LD-14). “As Co-Chair of New Jersey’s Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislative Manufacturing Caucus, I look forward to working with the Congresswoman to keep New Jersey, and the nation, at the forefront — manufacturing the technology of the future.”

“Congresswoman Sherrill’s American Jobs and Competition Plan would ensure organized labor is at the front and center of our economic strategy moving forward — and protect U.S. workers from CCP economic aggression that undermines jobs here in New Jersey,” said Pat Delle Cava, Business Manager at IBEW Local 102. “Mikie has always had our backs and we’re proud to stand with her and support this legislative plan moving forward.”

“The U.S. – and New Jersey – has been the leader in global innovation for decades and this is now in serious jeopardy due to foreign entities that seek to surpass and supplant us by using unfair and dubious business practices. Now is the time for our leaders to come together in a bi-partisan approach to ensure that our companies, industries and intellectual properties are protected as best they can – and that millions of American jobs are not threatened due to the actions of those that do not seek to compete on a level and fair playing field,” said Tom Bracken, President & CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. “Failure is not an option because the future of our long-term standing as the preeminent global economic power is at stake. We applaud Rep. Mikie Sherrill for realizing the seriousness and immediacy of this situation by introducing the Leading Global Innovation Resolution.”

“Representative Sherrill’s legislation will help level the playing field for workers and build a better future for organized labor in New Jersey. In Congress, she’s consistently fought to bring back good-paying jobs to New Jersey — and this legislation builds on her efforts to grow the economy here in the Garden State” said William Sproule, Executive Secretary Treasurer of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. “Mikie knows that organized labor has been the backbone of New Jersey’s economy for generations, and we applaud her efforts to make sure New Jersey workers are getting a fair shake.”

“Congresswoman Sherrill’s resolution to build more awareness among Members of Congress and the American public about the threat and risk to the U.S. if China’s economy strategy were to gain steam is exactly what the industry nationwide and especially here in New Jersey needs, said Peter Connolly, CEO of New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. “We’ve been working for decades to ensure manufacturing has a voice, and that New Jersey is poised to support its ‘MADE in NJ’ Manufacturers so they can compete with China. This focused effort of explaining to Members of Congress the critical importance of domestic manufacturing and allowing them to rediscover the industrial strength we have in the country gives us so much hope for a vibrant future for the United States.”

“As the voice for manufacturers in New Jersey and as National Association of Manufacturers board member, I know that manufacturers have long called upon Congress to take a new approach to US-China relations, holding China accountable for the commitments it has made to the US and the world,” said New Jersey Business and Industry Association President and CEO Michele Siekerka. “The Global Innovation Resolution spearheaded by Congresswoman Sherrill will bring much needed protection from and oversight of China’s continuing efforts to dominate innovation in the global market. While global competition can always be expected within science and technological advancements, we must also guard against intellectual property theft, cyber espionage and the discriminatory treatment of foreign investment to protect U.S. innovation and to advance it forward.”

“CIANJ commends Representative Sherill in leading the effort to strengthen and protect our economy here in the USA and protect private sector jobs,” said Anthony Russo, President of the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey. “Strengthening and protecting private sector jobs is critical to the well being of our citizens and her efforts should be lauded and emulated. We thank her for being a leader in this important endeavor.”

“Since visiting China twice to look at economic development issues, I recognized early on that China was investing heavily in innovation and trying, by whatever means, to lead the global race on innovation. They are on a course with a very steep trajectory. Congresswoman Sherrill is spot on with this three-part house resolution on changing our strategy to investing in and leading global innovation,” said Colonel Jeff Cantor, US Army (Ret), Founder & CEO of the New Jersey State Veterans Chamber of Commerce. “She is completely correct in prioritizing this effort and making sure that America leads the innovation and technology race. We applaud Congresswoman Sherrill’s commitment to ensuring that America remains in the lead in technology & innovation and would like to see this resolution passed by the House this year.”

“New Jersey’s 18 community colleges are working together and with business and other education partners to grow our state’s skilled workforce in IT, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and other fields that are critical to our ability to compete in the innovation economy,” said Aaron R. Fichtner, Ph.D., President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges.  “We applaud Congresswoman Sherrill’s efforts to ensure that the United States, and New Jersey, remain as a global leader in manufacturing, technology, and innovation.”

“It is time that Congress come together on a bipartisan, bicameral basis to fully recognize and respond to the techno-economic threat to the United States that China’s ‘innovation mercantilism’ regime represents. This Resolution represents an important step in that evolution,” said Robert Atkinson, President of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

As a member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the CCP, Congresswoman Sherrill is fighting to re-shore American manufacturing, strengthen our supply chains and lower costs for families, and ensure New Jersey is a place where businesses can grow, create jobs, and thrive. 

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