McCaul and Matsui lead effort to urge Biden Administration to strengthen funding for U.S. semiconductor production
Washington, D.C. – Today Congressman Michael McCaul (TX-10) and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-06)led a bipartisan group of House lawmakers in sending a letter to President Biden, urging him to make bold investments in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. Specifically, the letter asks the Administration to secure funding authorized in the Matsui and McCaul led CHIPS for America Act that was signed into law as part of the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act.
"We agree that the United States must build on the bipartisan Congressional efforts to authorize the CHIPS provisions and now swiftly move to fund these programs so they can be implemented and begin to address the current supply-chain vulnerabilities that threaten our national and economic security and ensure our nation's continued global leadership in this critical technology," the lawmakers wrote.
As the nation works toward economic recovery from the pandemic, it is critical that we continue to create American jobs and secure this strategically significant technology that is crucial for innovations in 5G networks, healthcare, and computing. Despite the importance of semiconductors for America's innovation economy, we've seen America's share of the semiconductor industry go from 37 percent in 1990 down to an estimated nine percent by 2030. In the meantime, China has expanded from about 12 percent of the market to 30 percent expected in 2030. This competitive disadvantage must be addressed to safeguard national security and the health of our economy.
"Full funding and implementation of CHIPS would reinvigorate our economy by creating high-paying jobs, developing talent pipelines for American workers, and increasing technological innovation," the lawmakers continued."We are committed to meeting the national imperative of securing our critical supply chains and look forward to working with you and your Administration to achieve this vital objective."
The letter was cosigned by Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17), James R. Langevin (RI-02), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Mike Gallagher (WI-08), Elise M. Stefanik (NY-21), Bill Johnson (OH-06), John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Bill Foster (Il-11), Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18), Conor Lamb (PA-17), Michael Waltz (FL-06), Greg Stanton (AZ-09), Brad R. Wenstrup, D.P.M. (OH-02), Dan Meuser (PA-09), Scott H. Peters (CA-52), Liz Cheney (WY-AL), Dr. James R. Baird (IN-04), Peter Meijer (MI-03), Ted W. Lieu (CA-33), Peter Welch (VT-AL), Terri A. Sewell (AL-07), David Trone (MD-06), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL), William R. Timmons, IV (SC-04), John Garamendi (CA-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Roger Williams (TX-25), John Katko (NY-24), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Chris Jacobs (NY-27), and Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14).
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