Lawmakers Ask Biden to Secure Funding for Chips for America Act Programs

Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, led a bipartisan letter with 70 other lawmakers Tuesday urging President Joe Biden to “prioritize securing funding” in his FY 2022 budget request “to implement” the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (Chips) for America Act, which was enacted as part of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (see 2101030002). The Chips language authorizes federal incentives to promote semiconductor manufacturing and public-sector investments in semiconductor R&D (see 2012170061). “We would specifically request you consider joining us in support of funding levels that are at least the authorized amounts proposed in the original bill as you work with Congress on a package of policies to better compete with China and how best to strengthen our country’s economic competitiveness and resiliency as well as national security,” the senators and House members said. The original measure proposed $10 billion to match state and local incentives to encourage semiconductor manufacturing and $3 billion for a Commerce Department grant program. Others senators signing the letter included Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Homeland Security Committee Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich.; and Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss.