Underwood-Backed Legislation to Lower Costs and Advance Economic Competitiveness Passes House

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) voted to pass the CHIPS and Science Act, a transformative legislative package to supercharge American production of semiconductor chips, strengthen supply chains, increase American manufacturing, and advance U.S. scientific excellence and research.  

This is a historic, bipartisan bill that would also lower costs for working families in northern Illinois by providing $52 billion to build, expand, or modernize domestic facilities and equipment for semiconductor fabrication, assembly, testing, advanced packaging, or research and development. Only 12 percent of semiconductor chips are currently manufactured domestically – a dramatic drop from 37 percent in the 1990s – while foreign competitors are investing heavily to dominate this critical national security industry. This has exacerbated the chip shortages and supply chain disruptions we see today. 

“I’ve heard from NHanced Semiconductors, Northern Illinois University, and auto manufacturers in my community, and they’re all facing unprecedented challenges caused by semiconductor shortages and rising costs,” said Underwood. “The CHIPS and Science Act will reinvigorate these industries by investing in American chip manufacturing and expanding economic and STEM opportunities for working families. I am committed to continuing my work to lower costs and ensure more goods are made in America.” 

The CHIPS and Science Act makes transformational new investments in research, innovation, and American manufacturing. It would provide funding for companies to build, modernize, and expand factories that produce semiconductors, creating nearly 100,000 new good-paying jobs. Increasing domestic manufacturing of semiconductors will help lower costs for consumers by easing chip shortages, which have driven up prices along with the global pandemic. The legislation also includes $1.5 billion for Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation, known as ORAN, to expand access to American-made 5G technology so everyone can participate in the 21st Century Economy. 

The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act: 

• Lowers costs for American consumers by making more semiconductor components in America. This will help end the shortage of chips that have driven up the price of everything from cars to consumer goods; 
• Creates 100,000 new good-paying jobs by creating strong Davis-Bacon jobs building hi-tech manufacturing facilities here in America; 
• Ends our dangerous dependence on foreign manufacturers by bringing critical semiconductor manufacturing back to America instead of overseas; 
• Supports American research by investing in next-generation technologies that are made here in America; and 
• Diversifies and expands the innovation workforce by broadening the pool of brainpower and talent, helping to diversify our STEM workforce, and advancing regional technology hubs to ensure communities across the country can help in American research and development. 

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