Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act of 2023

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 752, the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act.

Semiconductors are necessary for the production of everything from consumer electronics to automobiles to our national defense weapons systems.

The United States was once a global powerhouse in semiconductor fabrication, but over the years, it has become dangerously reliant on other countries for the production of these chips, which are vital to both our national economic and security interests.

That is why I was proud to lead the effort last Congress when Democrats were in the majority here in the House to pass and enact the CHIPS and Science Act. This law was transformational. It will strengthen our manufacturing base to grow our economy for the future, help create good-paying jobs for American workers, unleash more innovation, and lower costs for consumers. It does this by investing more than $52 billion into domestic semiconductor research, development, and production so that more of these semiconductors are built here in the United States by American workers.

When you travel to the industrial heartland, spend time in our industrial communities, and talk to hardworking, middle-class Americans whose manufacturing jobs have been sent offshore, it is clear that we still have to do more. H.R. 752 will provide valuable information about how we can increase foreign direct investment to further advance our efforts to strengthen the semiconductor supply chains, create more jobs, and continue to revitalize American manufacturing.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Representatives Eshoo and Pence for their bipartisan leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), the Democratic sponsor of this bill and the ranking member of our Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close.

I urge support for this bipartisan bill, which continues our efforts to deal with chips, basically a follow-up on the CHIPS and Science Act, which was so important in bringing back American manufacturing and American innovation.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 752) to require SelectUSA to coordinate with State-level economic development organizations to increase foreign direct investment in semiconductor-related manufacturing and production, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 752, the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act of 2023, sponsored by Ms. Eshoo of California and Mr. Pence of Indiana.

I am pleased that we can look at ways to attract investment into our country as opposed to shifting more demands onto our taxpayers.

This legislation requires SelectUSA to find ways that we can bolster foreign direct investment in U.S. semiconductor supply chains.

Semiconductor technology powers much of our modern economy, including payment cards, automobiles, cell phones, and the list goes on.

While we have led in chip design over the years, we have seen chip manufacturing and its surrounding supply chains shift overseas.

Among the many lessons we learned from COVID-19 and the pandemic is that the United States must lead in both the design and production of semiconductor chips to ensure we do not fall behind China.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence), one of the primary sponsors of the bill.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I also urge support for H.R. 752, the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act of 2023, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding time to me, and I thank him for support of my bill, the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act of 2023.

My congressional district was named for the materials that semiconductors are made of--Silicon Valley.

Mr. Speaker, 30 years ago, the United States manufactured nearly 40 percent of all semiconductors. Today, we produce only 12 percent. This lack of domestic semiconductor manufacturing poses a significant risk to our economy and national security.

The semiconductor supply chain is fragile, and it can be disrupted easily, with serious consequences to our daily lives.

To bolster domestic semiconductor production and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, my legislation directs the Department of Commerce's SelectUSA program to develop strategies to attract investment in U.S. semiconductor manufacturers and supply chains.

It will leverage the considerable downpayment Congress made in the CHIPS and Science Act and expand opportunities for the private sector to invest in American manufacturing.

This bipartisan, bicameral legislation, along with the investments made in the CHIPS and Science Act, will bring the U.S. back to being number one in the world in semiconductor manufacturing and maintain leadership in technological innovation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Pence for his partnership on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote for it. This is a very good bill, and it is going to build on what we need to bring this manufacturing back to the United States and make us number one in the world.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon), the chairman and my esteemed friend, for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 752, the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act, which I co-led with Congresswoman Eshoo, who I thank for her leadership.

This bipartisan bill seeks to uncover barriers to expanding foreign direct investment into domestic manufacturing for semiconductor chips.

Over the past few years, Hoosiers in southern Indiana felt the ripples in our economy caused by the shortages of semiconductor chips. Auto manufacturers like Honda in Greensburg and Cummins engine company in Columbus, Indiana, told me firsthand the potential impacts on day- to-day operations because of this shortage.

We learned the hard way that our economy cannot rely solely on adversarial nations like China to secure chips for our economy.

My greatest priority in Congress has been fighting for policies that have the opportunity to create good-paying jobs for our Hoosiers and for all Americans, and I urge support for this bill.