Senate Proceeds to Final Passage of Chips Package

The Senate voted 64-32 Tuesday to invoke cloture on Congress’ amended chips package, setting up a potential vote on final passage in the upper chamber for Wednesday. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was the only Democratic caucus member to vote no. Seventeen Republicans voted in favor.

OMB issued a statement of support, highlighting $52.7 billion in appropriations to implement the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (Chips) for America Act and $1.5 billion for the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., noted on the floor Tuesday that the latest iteration of the package “contains the majority of key science and innovation measures that the Senate passed last summer.” There remain “other major proposals from both sides that are still being worked on in the conference committee,” he said, and he intends to put the conference committee bill on the floor at some point. The House added “very little” to the package that the Senate is now advancing, Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., told us Tuesday: Senate leadership is “highly satisfied,” and the administration is “thrilled” with the final product.

Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., called it a national security investment that will allow the U.S. to outcompete China. Sanders spoke in opposition during conversation Tuesday with reporters: “To give away $76 billion to highly profitable corporations, who have thrown 150,000 workers out on the street as they move to other countries in recent years is not good policy. We need to rebuild the chip manufacturing plants in the United States, but you don’t do that just by throwing money at large corporations.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Communications Workers of America, Semiconductor Industry Association, Information Technology Industry Council and Business Roundtable spoke in support of Tuesday’s vote. The Chamber said it “strongly supports the renewed push in Congress to approve funding for the CHIPS for America Act before the end of the month.”

TechNet spoke in support of the inclusion of provisions that will increase domestic production of semiconductors, invest in regional technology hubs and enhance science, technology, engineering and math education and high-tech workforce training programs. A bipartisan group of Western governors called on Congress this week to stay in session “as long as necessary” to pass the Chips Act. "Every state in the nation is impacted by the semiconductor shortage,” said Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D). “The investments made by the CHIPS Act will expand domestic semiconductor manufacturing and grow our high-tech workforce, which is critical for our businesses and working families.”