In New Letter, U.S. Conference of Mayors Urges Pelosi, Schumer, McCarthy, & McConnell to Finish Up Work on Semiconductor Legislation

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In a letter today addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) called on Congress to finish up negotiations on the America COMPETES Act (HR 4521) and the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S 1260) to pass the Bipartisan Innovation Act (BIA). The letter, on behalf of mayors across America, stressed the importance of passing these bills to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S.

The letter reads, in part, "Semiconductors play a unique role in our economic and national security, enabling advances in medical devices and health care, communications, computing, defense, transportation, clean energy, and technologies of the future such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced wireless networks."

It concludes, "Congress must work to include the bipartisan incentive of a fully funded CHIPS Act, along with support for STEM education and an investment tax credit in the final competitiveness legislation. Americans deserve access to economic opportunity and we urge Congress to come together to move this critical bipartisan package forward."

A PDF of the letter can be found here, and the full text is below:

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McCarthy, and Leader McConnell:

The United States Conference of Mayors urges Congress to complete final negotiations of the America COMPETES Act (HR 4521) and the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S 1260) in order to pass the Bipartisan Innovation Act (BIA) and bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S.

Semiconductors play a unique role in our economic and national security, enabling advances in medical devices and health care, communications, computing, defense, transportation, clean energy, and technologies of the future such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced wireless networks. The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA), which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, includes the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America Act (CHIPS for America Act) which, along with an investment tax credit, would invest $52 billion in semiconductor manufacturing incentives and research initiatives over the next 5-10 years to strengthen and sustain American leadership in chip technology. The House passed COMPETES Act also includes CHIPS Act investments, to reinstate America as a leader and innovator in semiconductor manufacturing and invigorate the American economy.

The Bipartisan Innovation Act also provides an opportunity to expand opportunities for hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education by investing in experiential learning opportunities to strengthen the pipeline of students entering the STEM workforce, especially from traditionally underrepresented groups like women and communities of color. Notably BIA would invest in pre-Kindergarten STEM programs, boosting academic preparedness and leading to better long-term outcomes for children and families. It would also support high school STEM education, fund additional undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships and post-doctoral awards, further strengthening our STEM workforce. Incentivizing domestic production of semiconductors, committing to significant increases in research and development, and investing in a high-tech workforce of the future is critical to the economic strength of cities across the country.

The Bipartisan Innovation Act provides an opportunity to address future supply shortages in tech manufacturing, creates jobs, and lays the foundation for future innovations in science and technology to keep America competitive in the global economy. This legislation invests in America's workers and provides economic stability to American families. We must prioritize and reinvest in the semiconductor industry to reemerge on the global stage as a technology leader.

Congress must work to include the bipartisan incentive of a fully funded CHIPS Act, along with support for STEM education and an investment tax credit in the final competitiveness legislation. Americans deserve access to economic opportunity and we urge Congress to come together to move this critical bipartisan package forward.

Thank you for your leadership, and please feel free to reach out to me at 202-744-9110 / tcochran@usmayors.org or Assistant Executive Director Kathy Amoroso at 202-341-3006 / kamoroso@usmayors.org to discuss this priority request.

Sincerely,
Tom Cochran
CEO and Executive Director
United States Conference of Mayors

About the United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

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SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors