CHIPS for America advances economic and national security, protects taxpayer dollars, and builds a strong workforce

Yesterday, the Biden-Harris administration announced first CHIPS for America funding opportunity to restore U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, support good-paying jobs across the semiconductor supply chain, and advance U.S. economic and national security. Bipartisan legislators and governors, economists, national security experts, and other leaders applauded the Biden-Harris Administration and Department of Commerce for this key milestone implementing the CHIPS and Science Act.

Here’s what they’re saying about...

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: “Today @CommerceGov is rolling out applications for CHIPS funding. This is a big step towards making the US the world leader in chip production, with benefits for: National security, outcompeting the CCP, creating tens of thousands of good-paying construction & manufacturing jobs”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries: “The CHIPS and Science Act is bringing good-paying domestic manufacturing jobs back to the United States. And investing in American workers. Democrats deliver.”

Virginia Senator Mark Warner, Chair, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence: “The projects that will be made possible by the CHIPS Act will strengthen our national security and create good-paying manufacturing jobs here in the United States. With limited funding available, I urge the Department of Commerce to be strategic in selecting projects in order to ensure that advances U.S. economic and national security objectives.”

Texas Congressman Michael McCaul, Chair, House Foreign Affairs Committee: “I’m thrilled we are moving one step closer to full implementation of my CHIPS for America Act. Bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. will both stimulate our economy and strengthen our national security for years to come.

California Congresswoman Doris Matsui: “Today’s Notice of Funding Opportunity is the first step in fulfilling the goal of the bipartisan CHIPS Act: reasserting American leadership in the strategically important semiconductor industry. It is both an economic and national security imperative to ensure this funding is distributed quickly to support the next generation of high-tech manufacturing and research and development. As the House Democratic lead of the CHIPS Act, I want to thank Secretary Raimondo for her leadership and look forward to working with her to implement it fully.” [Statement, 2/28/23]

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly: “When we first sat down with Republicans and Democrats to work on boosting American microchip manufacturing, we came together around shared priorities of protecting our national security, growing our economy, creating good-paying jobs, and increasing our competitive edge over adversaries like China. Almost six months after our plan was signed into law, this is an exciting step to put it into motion and ensure that it’s felt by businesses and workers in Arizona and across the country. There is more work ahead, and I’ll continue to work with our Arizona partners and with Secretary Raimondo to ensure that our law is successfully implemented.” [Statement, 2/28/23]

Indiana Senator Todd Young: “Reshoring semiconductor manufacturing is a national security imperative. Implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act is moving forward to put America on offense against the Chinese Community Party.”

Washington Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee: “The federal investments in semiconductor manufacturing announced today are expected to create 280,000 jobs nationwide,” said Sen. Cantwell. “The companies making up the “silicon forest” here in the Pacific Northwest, which already employ thousands of workers, are well positioned to bring more of those high-paying jobs to our region. The State of Washington is a long-time been a leader in high-tech research and manufacturing -- and we will meet the moment once again.”

Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed, Chair, Senate Armed Services Committee: “To safeguard U.S. & strengthen our economy, the Biden Admin is bringing computer chip manufacturing home to the U.S. The CHIPS Act invests $52B in boosting domestic chip production. I commend @SecRaimondo for protecting taxpayers & ensuring they get a strong return on investment.”

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, Chair, Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Development Committee: “By investing in Ohio manufacturing and Ohio talent, the CHIPS Act will restore critical supply chains, help lower costs for Ohioans, and create thousands of jobs,” said Brown. “These new worker protections will ensure that investments like Intel’s bring good-paying jobs with good benefits, training opportunities, and support like affordable housing and access to transit, so that hard work can pay off for every family. The underlying statute for the Commerce Department’s CHIPS incentive program… requires that in order for companies to apply for Commerce CHIPS incentives, they must make community and worker investments. Not only are these investments by companies required by the statute, but they are also critical to the success of the program, to the success of the projects and the regions in which the projects are occurring, and to the nation’s expansion and leadership in the semiconductor industry.”

California Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Ranking Member, House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: “Today marks another milestone met in implementation of the landmark CHIPS and Science Act. The next step in reclaiming our leadership in semiconductor manufacturing is to spur innovation and manufacturing in the US—and this monumental funding opportunity will do just that. When we worked on a bipartisan basis to provide $39 billion in incentives to advance our domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and supply chain, we did it to build opportunity, security, and ownership in America’s technological future. Applicants from all over the country have the chance to be a part of that. This program will bolster our economic and national security while promoting a strong and diverse semiconductor workforce. I applaud the Administration for including workforce friendly provisions like childcare to ensure that American workers will be able to show up at the job in the semiconductor industry. I look forward to working with the Administration as we continue to see the many important provisions included in the CHIPS and Science Act yield benefits across the nation.”

New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., Ranking Member, House Committee on Energy and Commerce: “Today’s Notice of Funding Opportunity is a crucial step to unleashing the promise of the CHIPS and Science Act to create good-paying jobs right here at home and end our dangerous dependence on semiconductors manufactured abroad. I commend President Biden and Secretary Raimondo for their dedication to boosting domestic manufacturing of chips, strengthening our supply chains, and unleashing the next generation of innovation. I look forward to continuing to work together with the Administration to successfully implement this historic legislation.”

New Hampshire Congresswoman Annie Kuster, Chair, New Democratic Coalition: “Today’s announcement marks a major step forward in implementing the CHIPS and Science Act and brings the U.S. one step closer to once again leading the world in manufacturing the chips that are essential to our long-term national and economic security. New Dems played a critical role in working across the aisle to advance, shape, and ultimately pass this historic innovation bill in Congress. Now, this federal funding will catalyze private investment to strengthen our economy, create good-paying jobs in communities across the country, boost domestic manufacturing, and ensure that America continues to lead the global economy. I applaud Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and the Biden Administration for their efficient and expedient rollout of the CHIPS for America program. As a result, the United States will again be a global leader in producing the chips that power everything from our cars to computers, ultimately making our country safer and more secure. New Dems look forward to continuing to work with our partners in the Administration to implement this law to ensure Americans benefit from this historic investment in research, development, and innovation.”

Washington Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Chair, Congressional Progressive Caucus: “[…] The agency has included a number of taxpayer protections that progressives negotiated directly with the Secretary, including: prohibitions on CHIPS funding being directly used for stock buybacks or dividends; creating a formal preferencing for companies that commit to refrain from making stock buybacks; disbursing the funding to companies on an incremental basis, rather than a lump sum, to allow the funding to be clawed back if it is misused; and a requirement that companies receiving over a certain amount of direct funding repay the U.S. government — and American taxpayers — for the upside […]”

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi: “Today is a momentous day, when American manufacturers can apply for vital new funding under our CHIPS and Science Law! These new investments are a crucial step to restore American leadership in chips manufacturing and create good-paying jobs.”

Ohio Congresswoman Joyce Beatty: “For Central Ohio, the importance of our CHIPS & Science Act cannot be overstated. With today's launch, we take one major step forward to realizing the full potential of this investment. The #SiliconHeartland is coming online!”

New York Congressman Adriano Espaillat: “The CHIPS Act is bringing back American industry by creating good paying union jobs all across our nation. ***Expanding the middle class. Building ladders of opportunity for all Americans.*** >>>>>> That’s Democrats plan.”

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper: “NC is already working with semiconductor manufacturers that want to call our state home. The Biden Administration is bringing critical manufacturing and good-paying jobs back to America. - RC”

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb: “When @SecRaimondo visited #Indiana last fall she saw firsthand what #Hoosiers have to offer when it comes to #manufacturing. We are looking forward to working with our public and private partners to lead the way in #innovation and secure the nation's CHIP supply.”

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “Expanding domestic production of the logic and memory chips that power our devices is a national and economic security imperative. @SecRaimondo is leading the way with a blueprint for implementation. This is smart industrial policy for the 21st century.”

Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor: “Thanks to @SecRaimondo and the Department of Commerce, the Biden Administration continues to revitalize our semiconductor industry and turn the United States into a powerhouse for innovation and good paying jobs. A big win today for our economic and national security.”

John Neuffer, President and CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA): “Today’s action marks an important step forward in the implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, a landmark law that will boost U.S. semiconductor production and innovation for years to come. We are carefully reviewing the Commerce Department’s Notice of Funding Opportunity, which lays out the rules of the road for companies to apply for the CHIPS Act’s manufacturing grants. “In anticipation of CHIPS grants, companies in the semiconductor ecosystem have announced dozens of new projects across America since the bill was introduced. These announced projects will total hundreds of billions of dollars in private investments and support hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs. The CHIPS Act’s manufacturing grants—along with the new law’s substantial investments in semiconductor research—will help reinvigorate the U.S. economy and reinforce America’s national security and critical supply chains. “As Commerce Secretary Raimondo highlighted during her remarks at Georgetown University last week, CHIPS implementation provides an historic opportunity to ‘unite behind a shared objective … and think boldly and think big.’ We stand ready to work with Secretary Raimondo and leaders in the Commerce Department’s CHIPS Office to ensure the new law is implemented effectively, efficiently, and expeditiously.”