Livia Shmavonian, Director of the Made in America Office (MIAO) within the Office of Management and Budget of the White House, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the new department’s purpose. She also discussed the Biden-Harris Investing in America Agenda and improvements to the American supply chain and manufacturing industry.
In 2021, the Made in America Office was established after President Biden signed an Executive Order to ensure the future of America is made in America by American workers. The MIAO acts as a central hub to help coordinate the federal government’s efforts to build confidence and public trust in Made in America laws. To do this, the office provides transparency to Made in America laws and maximizes the use of domestic content when the federal government spends taxpayers' dollars. Shmavonian outlined her background and journey to becoming the second Director of the MIAO after Celeste Drake left to become the Deputy Assistant to the President for Labor and now serves as the Deputy Director of the ILO (International Labor Organization.).
As part of the Biden-Harris Investing in America Agenda, several pieces of legislation have been passed that have helped improve the American supply chain. Among the legislation passed are the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Build America, Buy America Act. Shmavonian explained how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law put Americans to work rebuilding the country with American-made materials. These materials began after the Build America, Buy American Act was passed, which requires all federally funded infrastructure projects to use American-produced iron, steel and construction materials.
Through legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, nearly 800,000 manufacturing jobs have been created, many of which are union jobs. Shmavonian added that there have been nearly $900 billion in private sector investments in the American manufacturing and energy sector. Together these policies have helped reinvigorate the American manufacturing industry. The MIAO and Shmavonian are focused on educating people about the work done to improve the industry under the Biden-Harris Administration, which she is excited to see continue for future generations.
To hear more about the Made in America Office, please listen to the episode above.