NASHVILLE, TENN. – The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act authored by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.). The bipartisan legislation will strengthen federal efforts to expand domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips.

“The passage of this legislation in the U.S. Senate is a win for Tennessee manufacturers who rely on semiconductors to support local and global supply chains,” said Senator Blackburn. “As long as the U.S. continues to depend on Communist China for semiconductor production, our supply chain, economy and national security are all at risk. We need to encourage economic development with local leaders in order to identify resource gaps and address challenges faced by businesses in meeting their bottom line.”

“In order to remain a global economic powerhouse in the 21st century, we must continue to build on the investments we made in the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. production of semiconductor chips, which we know will dictate the future of technology and innovation,” said Senator Peters. “My bipartisan bill would do just that by strengthening our efforts to attract investment in American semiconductor manufacturers as well as their suppliers, reducing our dependence on foreign producers for these critical technologies and creating good-paying jobs here at home.”

• The Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act would direct the U.S. Department of Commerce’s SelectUSA program – in collaboration with federal agencies and state economic development organizations – to develop strategies to attract investment in U.S. semiconductor manufacturers and supply chains.

• The SelectUSA program was established in 2011 to improve federal efforts that attract job-creating business investments in the United States and that support U.S. firms. The senators put forward this bipartisan bill after the Biden Administration issued a report emphasizing that the SelectUSA program could be further leveraged to strengthen private sector investments across the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain, in particular.

• The Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act would direct the SelectUSA program to engage with state-level economic development organizations about how they are attracting foreign direct investment to onshore activities related to semiconductor manufacturing, and identify what resource gaps or other challenges they face in achieving that goal. SelectUSA would then be required to develop strategies to increase investments in semiconductor manufacturing.

• Joining Senators Blackburn and Peters in reintroducing the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act were Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.). 

• Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Representatives Greg Pence (R-Ind.) and Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.).