IPC Persisting on Defense PCB Funding; Lend Your Voice Today
Congressional staff continue to work behind the scenes in preparation for the post-election final legislative push of 2024.
Along with the cool weather this week, staffers were greeted by a bracing message from electronics executives on the state of the U.S. national security supply chain. This week, two letters signed by 10 industry CEOs based in California and Connecticut were delivered to their U.S. representatives, urging them to support Senate language directing $45 million into the FY25 Defense Production Act Purchases account for investments in domestic printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing.
These CEOs are leading the way for our industry, using their voices to educate Congress on the importance of PCB manufacturing and the need for tangible results.
Now, you can lend your voice to this important issue today.
Together with IPC, the electronics industry successfully pressed the White House to issue the 2023 Presidential Determination that PCB manufacturing is a critical industrial base shortfall, qualified for Defense Production Act (DPA) investment. Then the priority became persuading Congress to appropriate the funds to make those investments – which is no easy task when Congress is wrangling over a tight budget.
However, IPC’s persistent advocacy has led to modest but real investments in the PCB industry over the last 12 months. Most recently, the Department of Defense Office of Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP), announced a $30 million investment in TTM Technologies Inc., to develop uHDI PCB manufacturing. This is the fourth PCB project funded through the Defense Production Act program in the last 12 months.
Earlier this year, IPC noticed that President Biden’s budget request for FY25 failed to allocate any additional DPA funding for PCBs. Mere hours after the budget was released, IPC was on the phone with policymakers, making the case that this was a serious mistake for U.S. national security. Our team sprang into action, meeting with key Members of Congress and Senators and bringing the voice of industry to the Hill, including a joint letter with the PCBAA, signed by 49 industry executives. We hosted a Washington Impact Day, during which CEOs met with 14 congressional offices, including six with seats on the Appropriations or Armed Services committees.
In July we learned that the House of Representatives did not include our recommendations in its their version of the FY25 appropriations bill. This was not surprising, as House leadership had to navigate a more difficult political situation with a greater desire for strict budget caps. A few weeks later, however, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the bill with $45 million specifically allocated to PCBs, and additional IPC-backed language urging prioritization of these investments and further funding in future years.
In the past year, we’ve seen more than $100 million in manufacturing investment awarded to the PCB industry through the Defense Production Act. But this trend will stop unless Congress continues to fund the program in FY25 and ensure it moves it forward.
IPC is one voice, constantly advocating for you. But we need the entire industry to speak up to those who represent them. When they hear from you, meet you, and learn about what you do policymakers can better understand the importance of the industry to their districts.
Just last week, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) led a letter signed by six Members of Congress addressed to the House Appropriations Committee, asking them to support the $45 million PCB funding. Rep. Van Orden has met with IPC members, toured their sites, and developed a deep understanding of the industry. Not surprisingly, he has become a champion of our causes in Congress. The other Members on last week’s letter, including Reps. Blake Moore (R-UT), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Brandon Williams (R-NY), and Ro Khanna (D-CA) have done the same, and they continue to be leading champions for PCB issues in Congress.
If you’ve never engaged with Congress before, now is a great time to start. IPC makes it easy for you. Please take a minute now to visit our Action Alert Center, where you can email your Member of Congress with just a few clicks and less than 5 minutes of your time. If you’d like to do more, IPC can help you invite your Member of Congress or Senator to visit your facility to learn more about the industry and our challenges.
Thank you to everyone who is rallying to support the industry. To date, our action alert has reached Members of Congress from eight states. But we need everyone to understand that failure to invest in PCB manufacturing will lead to unacceptable risk for the national security and critical infrastructure of all 50 states.