S. 99 — Strengthening Support for American Manufacturing Act

This section defines key terms used in the Act as follows: (1) appropriate committees of Congress, meaning the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce; (2) covered offices and bureaus, meaning offices and bureaus of the Department of Commerce identified under section 3(a)(1); (3) critical supply chain, meaning an end-to-end system that converts raw materials into finished products in critical sectors including the defense industrial base, public health and biological preparedness industrial base, information and communications technology industrial base, energy sector industrial base, transportation industrial base, and agricultural supply chains; (4) critical supply chain resilience, meaning mitigating gaps and vulnerabilities in critical supply chains by reducing risks of malicious sabotage or manipulation and improving ability to withstand interruptions such as logistical challenges or shortages; (5) manufacturing and industrial innovation, meaning providing assistance or resources to U.S. manufacturers or workers, offering expertise or research in technological innovations or advanced manufacturing for U.S. manufacturers, or developing policy impacting the U.S. manufacturing sector; and (6) Secretary, meaning the Secretary of Commerce.

This section directs the Secretary of Commerce to contract with the National Academy of Public Administration to produce, not later than one year after enactment, a report assessing Department of Commerce offices and bureaus responsible for critical supply chain resilience and manufacturing and industrial innovation—including their duties, programs, expertise, purpose, statutory authority, effectiveness, efficiency, limitations, and any duplicative or gap-related activities—and providing recommendations to optimize operations, improve internal and interagency coordination, and enhance overall impact. The section further requires the Secretary to submit the report, recommendations for potential legislative action, and a departmental response to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 180 days after completing the report.