Aug. 3, 2023 7:45p
(WGTD0---As expected in Pleasant Prairie Thursday, Vice-President Kamala Harris highlighted the Biden administration’s effort to expand high-speed internet throughout the country—the event was announced on Monday.
But there was an unexpected twist: Components for those internet projects will be made at a factory in Pleasant Prairie for the Finnish company Nokia.
The manufacturer—California-based Sanmina—is expected to add as many as 200 workers starting next year.
Harris—speaking from the Sanmina factory floor at Lakeview Corp. Park—implied that the move is the result of the Biden administration’s requirement that all components for high-speed internet projects partially funded by the federal government be made in this country. Referring to the Biden administration's allocation of $43 billion for broadband expansion, Harris said: "We knew that the demand would skyrocket. We knew companies would increase production and hire more workers. And whereas in the past, many of those jobs would be created overseas, President Biden and I required that the materials and products used in these projects from stell to electronics to fiber opticcable must be made in America."
Before Harris took the stage, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo explained how Nokia’s decision to make broadband electronic products came about, saying it began with a conversation with the president and CEO of Nokia, who agreed to look into the possibility of Nokia making some of its broadband products in the U.S.. Ultimately it led to a contract with California-based Sanmina, which acquired the former Manutronics plant nearly 25 years ago.
Both Raimondo and Harris gave U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin credit for planting the seed for the ‘made in America’ requirement.
Harris’ appearance Thursday drew a bi-partisan crowd of several hundred invited guests.
From Sanmina, Harris went to Milwaukee for two campaign events before flying back to Washington.
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