Recommendation

Congress should create a U.S. Economic Competitiveness Commission.

Details

It’s impossible to have a vibrant economy without a globally competitive traded sector. Dozens of nations have specific strategies to ensure they do, and so should the United States. To that end, Congress should create a 13-member commission that provides an independent assessment of U.S. competitiveness in traded sectors, including but not limited to manufacturing. A report released every other year should analyze U.S. weaknesses and offer targeted recommendations to address them and improve the country’s position across key traded sectors. House and Senate leaders from the respective parties should each appoint three members and the administration one member.

Keep reading:

▪ Stephen Ezell and Robert D. Atkinson, “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Competitiveness Woes Behind: A National Traded Sector Competitiveness Strategy” (ITIF, September 2012), https://itif.org/publications/2012/09/20/fifty-ways-leave-your-competitiveness-woes-behind-national-traded-sector.