IPC Applauds Biden’s Focus on Semiconductors, Urges Passage of Competitiveness Legislation

During his State of the Union address tonight, U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to urge Congress to pass much-needed funding for semiconductor manufacturing and other advanced technologies as part of a new competitiveness measure. Both the House- and Senate-passed bills include $52 billion in funding as well as additional measures to boost American R&D, which will help reestablish the United States as a global leader in building the technologies of the future. IPC applauds President Biden’s continued focus on the semiconductor shortage and his ongoing efforts with Congress to finalize the “USICA/America COMPETES” legislation.

In addition, President Biden is expected to mention the recently announced plan by Intel to invest $20 billion in semiconductor manufacturing in the state of Ohio. This investment is part of the more than $200 billion in efforts announced by several companies in the last year to produce microchips, electronic vehicles, batteries and other advanced manufacturing in the United States.

“Investments like Intel’s in Ohio will not only support the local community and create thousands of good-paying jobs; they also will help rebuild America’s entire electronics ecosystem, upon which semiconductors and all electronics products rely,” said John W. Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “Building a resilient domestic electronics industry is a strategic priority for the United States, and it will require a holistic approach to succeed.”

President Biden’s speech tonight comes less than a week after his administration’s release of a capstone report marking the culmination of year-long supply reviews of six industrial sectors. The Commerce Department’s review on the information and communications technology revealed structural supply chain vulnerabilities and proposed robust investment and support in the U.S. electronics manufacturing ecosystem. 

IPC will continue to work with the Biden’s Administration to strengthen America’s semiconductor supply chain and urges the swift passage of competitiveness legislation to help expand the domestic semiconductor and electronics manufacturing industries.