At the United Steel Workers' conference, (USW) held in Cleveland, Ohio on July 6, presidential candidate Hilary Clinton said that manufacturing needs to look to the alternative energy sector to find new products and jobs.

"We need to create green collar jobs to ensure our essential manufacturing base can grow," she said. To achieve that she would create a Strategic Energy Fund with $50 billion coming from a tax on the oil companies.

Earlier last month, the Senate did adopt the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Workforce Development Amendment, co-sponsored by Senator Clinton and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. The amendment allots $100 million to train workers in "green collar jobs" -- jobs that involve the design, manufacture, installation, operation and maintenance of clean, energy efficient technologies.