Maria Cantwell - Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Maria Cantwell - Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation | Official U.S. Senate headshot
The House of Representatives has approved a bipartisan bill co-authored by Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) aimed at expediting the construction of semiconductor manufacturing plants. The legislation, which previously passed the Senate unanimously, now awaits the President's signature.
Senator Cruz expressed his satisfaction with the bill's progress, stating: "My number one priority in the Senate is delivering jobs for Texans. When soon signed into law, the Kelly-Cruz legislation will mean tens of thousands of good-paying jobs and hundreds of billions in new investments for the Lone Star State." He emphasized that this legislation is crucial for onshoring jobs and reducing dependence on China for semiconductors vital to national defense.
Senator Kelly also highlighted the bill's significance: "This is a major step forward for our economy and national security. By preventing unnecessary delays in the construction of microchip manufacturing facilities, this bill will help maximize our efforts to bring this industry back to America."
In October 2023, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo underscored during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing how current permitting laws could delay CHIPS funding implementation. She advocated for passing Sens. Cruz and Kelly’s legislation.
The bill received bipartisan support in December when it was cosponsored by Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.). It had also passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act in July 2023.
Senator Cruz has been actively promoting this initiative through various engagements in Texas. In January, he toured Samsung's facility in Taylor and hosted a roundtable event in Round Rock to discuss regulatory challenges faced by semiconductor companies. He continued these discussions at Southern Methodist University in April.
Secretary Raimondo endorsed Sens. Cruz and Kelly’s proposal during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on ‘CHIPS and Science Implementation and Oversight.’
Cruz's legislative history includes efforts such as historic tax reform enacted in 2017, fighting federal regulations, supporting Texas innovators, authoring the CREATE JOBS Act, and championing the FABS Act to incentivize U.S. manufacturing through tax credits.
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