U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell announced that she voted for the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, a bill she believes will deliver investment in America’s global competitiveness—creating jobs, slashing kitchen table costs, ending dependence on foreign manufacturers, and turbocharging American innovation. The bill passed the House today by a vote of 243 to 187. Previously passed by the Senate, this legislation now heads to Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
“The CHIPS and Science Act is a victory for Alabama and our nation!” stated Sewell. “This major legislation is all about ensuring that America remains a world leader in science, technology, and innovation. By turbocharging our production of semiconductors, the CHIPS and Science Act will strengthen American manufacturing, lower costs, and bolster our independence from foreign suppliers, all while creating good-paying jobs here at home. I’m also thrilled that this bill will bring research investments to our local communities to help diversify our STEM workforce. I look forward to seeing President Biden sign it into law!”
According to Sewell’s press release, a nationwide shortage of semiconductor chips has severely disrupted American manufacturing, slowing down production, spiking prices, and increasing dependence on unfriendly foreign nations. Only 12 percent of semiconductor chips are currently manufactured domestically—a dramatic drop from 37 percent in the 1990s—while foreign competitors are investing heavily to dominate this critical national security industry.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly championed the legislation for over a year. Kelly spoke on the Senate floor immediately following the passage of the CHIPS Act of 2022, stating, “While this process has been long, it has also shown what we can accomplish when we work together, Republicans and Democrats,” Kelly said during his speech. “And as a result, our country is going to once again be a leader in microchip manufacturing, creating tens of thousands of great paying jobs, strengthening our national security, and lowering costs for everyday products.”
This legislation aims to:
- Lowers costs for American consumers – by making more critical semiconductor components in America, helping end the shortage of chips that have driven up the price of everything from cars to consumer goods.
- Creates 100,000 new good-paying jobs – creates strong Davis-Bacon jobs building hi-tech manufacturing facilities here in America.
- Ends our dangerous dependence on foreign manufacturers –bringing critical semiconductor manufacturing back to America instead of overseas where it can be threatened by our adversaries.
- Turbocharges American R&D – powering America’s preeminence in both basic research and next-generation technologies and ensuring that the technologies of the future are made here in America.
- Diversifies and expands the innovation workforce – broadening the pool of brainpower and talent so that we are embracing the full potential from all our communities, helping to diversify our STEM workforce, and advancing regional technology hubs to ensure communities across the country can help in American research and development.
