On Friday, U.S. Reps. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) and Greg Pence (R-IN) joined U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MN), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to introduce legislation designed to strengthen efforts to expand semiconductor chip manufacturing in the United States.
The Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act would direct the U.S. Department of Commerce’s SelectUSA program to develop strategies that will attract investments into semiconductor manufacturers and semiconductor supply chains.
“Disruptions in the semiconductor supply chain have impacted nearly every aspect of our economy and the daily lives of Americans,” Eshoo said. “The Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act strengthens semiconductor supply chains by requiring federal and state government programs to develop strategies to attract investment in semiconductor manufacturing. I’m proud to introduce this bicameral and bipartisan legislation to onshore chip production and ensure the U.S. maintains its global technological leadership.”
As part of the legislation, SelectUSA would engage with economic development organizations on the state level to attract more foreign investment to the U.S. semiconductor manufacturing industry while identifying the gaps in resources and other challenges the industry may face. SelectUSA would then establish strategies to overcome those challenges and increase investments in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing.
The SelectUSA program was established in 2011 to improve federal efforts to attract job-creating business investments in the United States. Congress members introduced this bill after a report from the Biden Administration found that SelectUSA’s program could be leveraged to increase investment across the semiconductor supply chain.