Biden urged to invest in U.S. manufacturing, reducing dependence on imports

U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for stronger supply chains and increased investment in domestic manufacturing, reducing dependence on imports from abroad.

“We must invest to produce more of our goods right here in the United States. Never again should our country and our economy be unable to produce the critical products we need because we don’t have access to the materials to produce a particular product. Never again should we rely too heavily on one company, one country or one person in the world, especially when countries don’t share our values when it comes to health and safety and environmental standards,” Joe Biden said in a White House speech.

“We still have the most productive workers and the most innovative minds in the world, but the rest of the world is catching up with us, and we risk losing our edge if we don’t step up. To be competitive in the global marketplace, we must improve our ability to produce goods here in America and to move finished goods around the country and the world,” Biden added.

The U.S. president also emphasized that strengthening supply chains remains the focus of his team. “If federal support is needed, I will lead all appropriate actions. And if the private sector doesn’t step up, we will call on them, ask them to act,” Biden said. The U.S. administration is seeking not only to deal with all supply chain issues, but also to address the “long-standing weaknesses” in the transportation supply chain identified during the pandemic. During his remarks, Biden also revealed that the Port of Los Angeles, California, will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, a similar decision previously made by Port Authority of Long Beach, California.

“Supply chains mean how we manufacture products, and how materials and parts get to the factories so we can manufacture products. To produce here. It’s also how we transport the products: how the finished product gets from the factory to the store and your home. And we have an important announcement today: we’re going to make sure the products you buy get to you and to your store shelves faster,” Biden said.

He said the ports in question are the largest in the United States, and are where 40 percent of the containers of goods imported into the country are delivered. This is a key first step in moving our entire freight and supply chain nationwide to a 24/7 operation.