Bill Overview
Title: Invent Here, Make Here for Homeland Security Act
Description: This bill restricts the manufacture abroad of products invented using funding provided by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Specifically, the bill prohibits a firm or nonprofit organization which receives title to any subject invention developed under a funding agreement with DHS from granting to any person the exclusive right to use or sell such invention unless that person agrees that any products embodying, or produced through the use of, such invention will be manufactured substantially in the United States. The bill authorizes waivers of this prohibition in certain instances, but prohibits waivers for products that will be manufactured substantially in a country of concern, including North Korea, China, Russia, and Iran.
Sponsors: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Target Audience
Population: People involved in manufacturing of homeland security-related inventions globally
Estimated Size: 500000
- The legislation impacts firms and nonprofit organizations that receive DHS funding for inventions.
- It directly affects manufacturing sectors related to homeland security inventions.
- There may be a secondary effect on international firms that manufacture these innovations, particularly in countries of concern like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.
- The legislation aims to ensure that products invented with US government funding are produced domestically, which could affect global manufacturing practices and supply chains for these products.
Reasoning
- The population affected directly by this policy is relatively small since it specifically targets firms and organizations that receive DHS funding for inventions.
- A substantial portion of the target population includes American firms, researchers, and manufacturing workers who might benefit from increased domestic job opportunities.
- The policy could also slightly impact the broader economy by possibly increasing manufacturing costs and thereby affecting product pricing.
- It's likely that manufacturing workers in specific regions where these sectors are concentrated will experience the most direct impacts.
- Given the policy's specific focus and budget constraints, the overall impact on the 'selfReportedWellbeing' might range from medium to negligible for many individuals, depending on their role and location.
Simulated Interviews
Manufacturing Manager (Buffalo, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy could be quite beneficial in terms of creating more jobs locally. However, I'm concerned about the potential increase in production costs which might affect our competitiveness.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Software Engineer (Austin, TX)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy doesn't directly impact my daily work, but I do appreciate the attempt to bring jobs into the country. It aligns with my values.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Startup Founder (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 37 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Securing jobs stateside is good, but I’m anxious about potential constraints on where we can manufacture, potentially limiting partnerships.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Mechanical Engineer (Detroit, MI)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The scope of local manufacturing growth is promising. However, I’m cautious about the real economic impact long-term.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Policy Analyst (Seattle, WA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy underscores the need for strategic economic shifts, yet viable mechanisms for implementation are key.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
HR Director (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We’re debating expanding here; this could tip scales but requires negotiation with partners abroad.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Research Scientist (Chicago, IL)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Strategically valuable projects might face unnecessary boundaries, complicating logistics and execution.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Logistics Coordinator (Houston, TX)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The complexity for importing components could rise, affecting how we coordinate operations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Manufacturing Technician (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I’ve just started my job because of these shifts, so I’m hopeful it brings more stability for workers like myself.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Financial Analyst (San Diego, CA)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The shift could increase costs but the long-term outcome needs thorough analysis; it's a balance of immediate costs against eventual gains.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $70000000)
Year 2: $52000000 (Low: $31000000, High: $75000000)
Year 3: $55000000 (Low: $33000000, High: $80000000)
Year 5: $60000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $90000000)
Year 10: $70000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $105000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $150000000)
Key Considerations
- The policy pushes for increased domestic manufacturing, potentially leading to higher production costs but also more jobs domestically.
- Waiver process integrity is critical to prevent loopholes that could allow circumventing the domestic manufacturing requirement.
- Monitoring and enforcement will require consistent and transparent processes to ensure compliance.
- Consideration of potential diplomatic tensions due to restricted manufacturing in countries of concern.