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Manufacturing has long been treated as a bellwether for the broader economy. It underwrites supply chains, sustains communities built around industrial employment and determines whether the United States retains the capacity to produce what it needs without relying on foreign suppliers. By that measure, the recent data out of Ohio is worth taking seriously.
Oct. 2 was National Manufacturing Day, a fitting occasion to look at manufacturing returning in a big way to the Buckeye State and what it suggests for the rest of the country.
Since President Trump took office, companies have committed trillions of dollars in U.S. investments across manufacturing, technology, energy and other strategic industries, a reflection of renewed confidence in America as a place to build and invest.
The Working Families Tax Cuts Act incentivizes manufacturers and businesses to make the investments necessary to expand production. It makes the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent, lowers taxes for 12 million small business owners by roughly $7,000 on average, and restores full expensing for investments in new machinery, research and infrastructure, which helped preserve $37 billion in Ohio gross domestic product. The Working Families Tax Cuts Act protected 208,000 Ohio jobs and $19 billion in wages across Ohio. By allowing workers and families to keep more of what they earned, the law strengthens the foundation for continued economic growth while giving manufacturers and businesses greater certainty to invest and build.
Republicans have also expanded access to capital for small and innovative manufacturers turning ideas into products.
President Trump signed into law the Investing in All of America Act, which strengthens the Small Business Investment Company program so more long-term capital can reach small businesses and manufacturers, including those in rural and underserved communities. He also signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act into law, reauthorizing programs such as the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs, which have helped small businesses turn innovative ideas into commercial products. The connection from innovation to investment to production is critical to maintaining America's manufacturing dominance.
As manufacturing grows, Republicans have worked to ensure that our energy grid can keep pace with rising demands without placing unnecessary costs on American families. I have co-sponsored bills to help strengthen grid reliability, improve long-term planning and ensure families and manufacturers alike have access to reliable and affordable power.
The GRID Power Act empowers transmission providers to prioritize energy projects that improve the resilience and reliability of the electric grid, two key requirements for manufacturers when deciding when and how to build and invest. The Reliable Power Act requires the federal government to consider the impact of new federal regulations on grid reliability before finalizing new rules, ensuring Washington can't make it harder for manufacturers to operate for the sake of negligible energy efficiency improvements.
House Republicans advanced these bills, and they await consideration by the Senate before they are signed into law by President Trump.
The policies have been especially important for Ohio, which is helping lead America's national manufacturing resurgence. Pratt Industries announced a $5 billion investment, which is expected to create 5,000 manufacturing jobs across Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona. Kimberly-Clark plans to expand its U.S. manufacturing operations with a $2 billion investment, including for a manufacturing facility in Warren. Anduril Industries is investing $1 billion into a new autonomous weapons system facility in the state, and Amgen is providing a $900 million investment in its Ohio-based manufacturing operation.
The state's manufacturing momentum translates into opportunities for Ohio families and workers. At the end of 2025, 192,174 new businesses were registered in our state, while JobsOhio completed 311 projects with a total of $12.1 billion in capital investment, creating good-paying jobs and expanding the resources available to support essential public services across Ohio.
Ohio's 6th Congressional District has been a proud part of this success. From manufacturing and energy to healthcare and agriculture, Eastern Ohio is home to workers, entrepreneurs and businesses that are helping build the services and products our country depends on.
America's manufacturing comeback is in full swing because Republicans have codified policies and streamlined regulations to make it easier to invest, innovate and compete from right here at home. On National Manufacturing Day, we celebrate those Ohioans and millions of other Americans who work hard every day and recommit ourselves to giving them the tools they need to keep building here at home.
U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Salem, represents Ohio's 6th Congressional District.