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Tuesday, August 9, 2022

President Biden signs CHIPS and Science Act: comments and reactions

By Matt HamblenAugust 9, 2022
president signing at table
President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act, describing it as a means of repelling China's technology advances and an investment in America's future with jobs and research. (WH.gov)

President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act on a sunny Tuesday morning on the South Lawn of the White House attended by dozens of supporters from business and government.

The following are selected comments by the president and others:

President Biden

The future of the chip industry is going to be made in America…The investment will create 1 million construction jobs over the next six years. It’s in our economic interest and our national security interest to do so...

“It’s crystal clear we need these semiconductors…Unfortunately we produce zero percent of advanced chips now. China is trying to move way ahead of us in the manufacture of these advanced chips as well.  It’s no wonder the Chinese Communist Party actively lobbied U.S. business against this bill. The United States must lead the world in production of advanced chips and this law will do exactly that…

“At every turn of his life [Steve Jobs] dared to think differently and embodied that most American of questions, ‘What’s next?’ The CHIPS and Science Act will inspire a whole new generation of Americans to answer that question, ‘What's next?’ …

“For all the division our country shows ourselves and the world, we can take on the biggest challenges.  We can take on special interests and democracy can deliver for the people of this country. That’s why I’m confident decades from now people will look back at this week for all we passed and moved on that we met the moment at this inflection point in history, the moment when we bet on ourselves.”

U.S. Senator Mark Warner, D-Virginia

“The CHIPS and Science Act will lower costs for families, strengthen our national security and create good-paying manufacturing jobs here in the United States and I’m proud to have shepherded it into law.” 

(Warner joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, in introducing the the CHIPS for America Act in June 2020.)

Semiconductor Industry Association President John Neuffer

“President Biden and leaders in Congress have fortified semiconductor manufacturing, design and research, thereby strengthening America’s economy, national security and supply chains for decades to come. The CHIPS Act will help usher in a better, stronger American future built on semiconductors.”

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger

“Intel is committed to restoring end-to-end leadership, innovation and manufacturing here in the U.S. We are doing our part and the federal government has now done their part.” (Intel plans to break ground on two chip fabs in central Ohio valued at $20 billion and hopes to recoup $3 billion for each fab through the CHIPS Act.)

Kenny McDonald, president of the Columbus [Ohio] Partnership

"This important legislation cements our position as a leading location for technology and manufacturing. Central Ohio is answering a national call to action, as it partners with companies that are solving a significant global supply challenge. Most importantly, the growth of the semiconductor industry here will mean thousands of lives changed for the better--careers will be launched, small businesses will grow and investments will be made in our communities."

Global Foundries CEO Tom Caufield (on CNBC)

“The $52 billion is going to release $150 billion [in private investment]. It’s a big pot of money when you think of the capex.”

Qualcomm

As one of the highest volume chip designers in the world, Qualcomm works with all leading foundries and benefits from the resulting increased capacity, as well as geographic diversity and more reliant supply chains that will help create economic value.”

Nantero CEO Rob Snowberger

Nantero is the only U.S.-owned emerging memory startup with technology recognized on the global stage to significantly reduce power consumption in servers and data centers…While our Carbon Nanotube-based technology was invented in the U.S., grew up in the U.S. and wants to stay in the U.S., until today that was not a real possibility as the limited foundry options are full, current market leaders resist disruptive tech and the financial support we need is only available overseas…For the first time in history we have the opportunity to keep our technology and company growing in the U.S. where we will be able to create jobs and usher in the next generation of sustainable and high-performance semiconductor devices.”

Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Vice President Stephen Ezell

“The legislation represents a generational investment in America’s science, technology, innovation, workforce capabilities, and industrial competitiveness…While the Act represents significant progress, for its effect to be fully realized, especially concerning science, R&D and industrial competitiveness elements, the legislation’s programs must receive full appropriations from policymakers in the months ahead.”

Keith Krach, former Under Secretary of State and Chairman of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue University

“Our adversaries, starting with the Chinese Communist Party, are playing a game of four-dimensional military, economic, diplomatic, and cultural chess, and the crossroads and the main battlefield is technology. The CHIPS and Science Act will help American tech companies build, expand, and modernize domestic facilities and equipment for semiconductor production and accelerate research in AI, quantum computing, 6G, hypersonics, and other national security technologies.

“General Secretary Xi Jinping is propping up China's semiconductor manufacturing by committing $1 trillion over the next 10 years. He is terrified that a united United States will commit to the equivalent of a moonshot. The bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act may do exactly that, taking the technological advantage away from China Inc. and returning it to the United States." 

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adams