BLOOMINGTON – At a press conference at SkyWater Technology’s headquarters in Bloomington, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) highlighted how signing the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act into law will strengthen domestic semiconductor production and boost American competitiveness and innovation.
“Semiconductor chips and components are essential for everything from advanced military equipment to devices that that we use every day, from cars to computers to medical devices,” said Klobuchar. “The CHIPS and Science Act makes landmark investments to increase domestic semiconductor production by providing funding for companies to build, expand and modernize state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities…this bill…is really important for our national security policy and for our entire economy.”
Klobuchar was joined by executives from leading U.S.-based semiconductor designers and manufacturers with operations or headquarters in Minnesota: SkyWater Technology President and CEO Tom Sonderman; Seagate Executive Vice President of Operations and Technology Jeff Nygaard; and Onto Innovation Chief Operating Officer Cody Harlow.
The CHIPS and Science Act will provide significant resources to:
- Help companies build, expand, or modernize domestic facilities and equipment for semiconductor production;
- Kick start development of the domestic semiconductor workforce and address near-term labor shortages;
- Make the largest five-year investment in public research and development in the nation’s history, including in critical technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing as well as boosting STEM education and regional technology hubs.
Klobuchar has long led efforts to boost American economic competitiveness and address supply chain vulnerabilities. In June, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, her bipartisan, bicameral legislation with Senator John Thune (R-SD) to help fix supply chains and ease shipping backlogs was signed into law.
At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing in March, Klobuchar emphasized the importance of investing in domestic semiconductor production to strengthen the resilience of America’s semiconductor supply chains and bolster American innovation.
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