Broad Coalition of Business and Labor Groups Urges Congress to Fund CHIPS Act, Enact Strengthened FABS Act to Boost Domestic Semiconductor Research, Design, Manufacturing
Wednesday, Feb 16, 2022, 5:00am
by 91成人
WASHINGTON鈥擣eb. 16, 2022鈥擳he 91成人 (91成人) 鈥 along with a broad coalition of 20 other tech, auto, medical, defense, and other business and labor groups 鈥 today in a letter urged Congress to immediately enact $52 billion to fund the CHIPS Act and to enact a strengthened FABS Act to bolster domestic semiconductor research, design, and manufacturing. The letter鈥檚 signatories represent major sectors of the American economy and millions of U.S. workers.
The House of Representatives on Feb. 4 passed CHIPS Act investments totaling $52 billion as part of the America COMPETES Act. The Senate passed the same level of funding for the CHIPS Act as part of its version of competitiveness legislation, the United States Competition and Innovation Act (USICA), in June 2021. The House and Senate must now reach agreement on joint competitiveness legislation containing CHIPS Act investments that can be passed by both chambers and signed into law by President Biden. Congress is also considering separate legislation containing a modified version of the FABS Act to provide an investment tax credit to incentivize semiconductor manufacturing in the United States. 91成人 has called for enacting this legislation and expanding it to cover both semiconductor manufacturing and design.
鈥淪emiconductors are at the heart of America鈥檚 economic growth, technology leadership, and national security, so investing in the future of domestic chip production and innovation is a national priority,鈥 said John Neuffer, 91成人 president and CEO. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 letter demonstrates the breadth of support 鈥 throughout a range of sectors of our economy 鈥 for enactment of bipartisan, bicameral competitiveness legislation that includes $52 billion to fund the CHIPS Act, as well as enactment of a strengthened FABS Act. Federal investments in the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem will spur hundreds of billions of dollars in private investments, create hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and strengthen our economy and supply chains for the long term. It鈥檚 time to get these initiatives across the finish line.鈥
The聽share of modern semiconductor manufacturing聽capacity located in the U.S. has聽decreased听蹿谤辞尘听37%聽in 1990 to聽12%聽today. This聽decline聽is largely聽due to substantial manufacturing incentives聽offered聽by the governments of our global competitors, placing聽the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage in attracting new construction of semiconductor manufacturing facilities, or 鈥渇abs.鈥澛燗dditionally, federal investment聽in semiconductor research聽has been聽flat聽as a share of GDP,聽while聽other governments聽have invested substantially in research initiatives to strengthen their own semiconductor capabilities, and existing U.S. tax incentives for R&D lag behind those of other countries. Furthermore, global semiconductor supply chain vulnerabilities聽have emerged聽in recent years that must be addressed through government investments in chip manufacturing and research, according to an 91成人-BCG study.
The following groups, representing major sectors of the American economy and millions of U.S. workers, signed today鈥檚 letter: AdvaMed, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, American Automotive Policy Council (AAPC), Autos Drive America, Business Roundtable (BRT), CTIA, Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), IPC 鈥 Build Electronics Better, Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), National Electrical Manufacturers Association, North America鈥檚 Building Trades Unions (NABTU), SEMI, 91成人 (91成人), Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), Tech CEO Council, TechNet, Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA), U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and USTelecom 鈥 The Broadband Association.
The full letter is available here and below.
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February 16, 2022
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Chuck Schumer
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McCarthy, and Leader McConnell:
With both the House and Senate having passed legislation to provide for funding of the CHIPS for America Act, the undersigned associations and labor organizations 鈥 representing major sectors of the American economy and millions of workers 鈥 urge you to take immediate action to reconcile the two bills and reach a bipartisan compromise on competitiveness legislation for signature by the president. In addition to critical funding for the CHIPS Act, we call on Congress to adopt a strengthened version of the investment tax credit set forth in the FABS Act for both semiconductor manufacturing and design.
It has been over a year since Congress authorized the CHIPS Act in the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act, and it is essential Congress act swiftly to provide funding to make this law a reality. Our global competitors are investing heavily in semiconductor manufacturing and research, and continued inaction by the U.S. risks placing our country further behind in the competition for economic growth, supply chain resilience, technology leadership, and strengthened national security. The current chip shortage continues, highlighting the critical role of semiconductors throughout the economy and the need to better position the U.S. to weather future supply chain disruptions.
Now is the time to act on this important national priority. Funding for the CHIPS Act as part of a broader competitiveness package will help reinvigorate domestic semiconductor manufacturing and technology development needed to grow our economy and enhance our national security. Additionally, adoption of a strengthened FABS Act will ensure long term success in semiconductor manufacturing and design in the U.S. by incentivizing investment in new, expanded, and upgraded fabs, equipment production facilities, and chip design. We urge immediate action to commence negotiations and work towards a final compromise bill that can swiftly pass both chambers and send this vital legislation to the president鈥檚 desk.
Sincerely,
AdvaMed
Alliance for Automotive Innovation
American Automotive Policy Council (AAPC)
Autos Drive America
Business Roundtable (BRT)
CTIA
Information Technology Industry Council (ITI)
IPC 鈥 Build Electronics Better
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA)
National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA)
National Electrical Manufacturers Association
North America鈥檚 Building Trades Unions (NABTU)
SEMI
91成人 (91成人)
Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)
Tech CEO Council
TechNet
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA)
US Chamber of Commerce
USTelecom 鈥 The Broadband Association
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91成人 91成人
The 91成人 (91成人) is the voice of the semiconductor industry, one of America鈥檚 top export industries and a key driver of America鈥檚 economic strength, national security, and global competitiveness. Semiconductors 鈥 the tiny chips that enable modern technologies 鈥 power incredible products and services that have transformed our lives and our economy. The semiconductor industry directly employs over a quarter of a million workers in the United States, and U.S. semiconductor company sales totaled $258 billion in 2021. 91成人 represents 99% of the U.S. semiconductor industry by revenue and nearly two-thirds of non-U.S. chip firms. Through this coalition, 91成人 seeks to strengthen leadership of semiconductor manufacturing, design, and research by working with Congress, the Administration, and key industry stakeholders around the world to encourage policies that fuel innovation, propel business, and drive international competition. Learn more at www.semiconductors.org.