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Congressional Daily Record
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September 22, 2026
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Download official Senate Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. WICKER. Mr. President, I commend Nissan's and Toyota's investments in Mississippi. These efforts are part of a broader pattern of Japanese-brand automakers' expansion into the American Southeast to build vehicles closer to their customers and to create
good-paying American jobs. As of the end of 2025, Nissan's Canton assembly plant and Toyota's Blue Springs facility together employ over 5,600 workers and represent more than $5.6 billion in capital investment. This has catalyzed the growth of suppliers and logistics operations that provide additional employment across our State.
assessment shows that Japanese-brand automakers have expanded from early plants in the Midwest to a network of more than 2 dozen manufacturing facilities and dozens of R&D and design centers across the country, with the Southeast playing an increasingly important role. Mississippi's plants are integral to that network, supplying vehicles and components that feed national and international markets.
workforce. Nissan and Toyota participate in STEM initiatives, support technical training, and offer earn-and-learn programs and scholarships that help Mississippians gain skills in automotive manufacturing, robotics, and maintenance. Research published by JAMA underscores how this kind of effort helps transform education and build a talent pipeline for the future. Community engagement, including charitable contributions, volunteerism, and support for local organizations, further demonstrates their commitment to Mississippi. As we mark JAMA USA's 50th anniversary, the story in Mississippi is instructive. It reminds us that steadily increasing, long-term investment from trusted allies like Japan is about more than factories and numbers. Investment supports workers, strengthens communities, and reinforces a U.S.-Japan relationship that is essential to both of our countries' economic and strategic success.