The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“National Defense Authorization Act (Executive Session)” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Senate section on pages S7456-S7457 on Dec. 14, 2020.
The Department includes the Census Bureau, which is used to determine many factors about American life. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department is involved in misguided foreign trade policies and is home to many unneeded programs.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
National Defense Authorization Act
Mr. President, on another topic, last Friday, another important thing happened--the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act with broad bipartisan support and sent it to the President for his signature. This marks the 60th year in a row that we have completed the defense spending bill, and that is as it should be. Our national security is the No. 1 priority here in Washington, DC, and for our entire Nation.
Texas servicemembers will receive higher salaries and stronger support for their families because of this legislation. That includes assistance for military spouses whose careers involve relicensing, and it includes high-quality childcare on military bases. This legislation will also bring some serious updates and improvements to Texas military bases. Joint Base San Antonio, Joint Bases Fort Worth and Fort Hood, and the Pantex Plant in Amarillo will all receive additional funding for updates and facilities to improve their capabilities and mission readiness.
Given the uncertain state of today's world, preserving our military readiness has never been more important. Russia is growing more aggressive in its efforts to disrupt the global order. North Korea continues to provoke the United States and our allies with its nuclear aspirations. Iran's hostile and unpredictable actions threaten democracies around the world, not just in the Middle East. China has become increasingly powerful and more belligerent than ever. The Defense Authorization Act is how we prepare to counter these growing threats at every corner of the globe and improve our national security across the board. We do that through the time-honored notion of peace through strength. The best way to avoid a war is for America to remain strong.
I am incredibly proud that this legislation includes language from a bill I introduced with Senators Warner, Cotton, and Schumer--a bipartisan bill. The goal of this legislation is straightforward--to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States. Since 2000, the United States has dropped from producing roughly a quarter of the world's semiconductors now down to about 12 percent, and the semiconductors that make up your iPhone or that go into an F-35 are sole-sourced from a Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company, obviously located overseas.
If we have learned one thing from this virus, it is of the vulnerability of our supply chains, and it doesn't take a lot of imagination to understand, with the threat to our economy and the threat to our national security, that the sole-source supply chain should be disrupted. There are the obvious economic consequences. Why buy these chips from other countries when we could be making them ourselves? We could boost an entire industry, including high-paying jobs right here in the United States. As I said, that is only part of the equation, because semiconductor manufacturing isn't just about the economy and jobs; it is about national security. Chips aren't just in televisions, dishwashers, and consumer electronics; they are a vital part of our cell towers, missile defense systems, and other critical infrastructure.
If you need an example of just how important it is to have a reliable supply of our most crucial devices, just look at the PPE shortage during the COVID-19 crisis. China has long been a supplier of masks, gloves, gowns, and other personal protective equipment used primarily by our healthcare workers. For a long time, that wasn't really a problem, but then COVID-19 showed that it was a problem.
By the time the virus began to move across the United States, China had been battling it for months. So when it came time for American hospitals and clinics and healthcare providers to beef up their supplies of PPE, their supplies had already been depleted. Healthcare workers, you will recall, were reusing masks throughout an entire shift in order to conserve supplies, and hospitals were pleading with the general public to donate any unused personal protective equipment to help keep healthcare workers safe. We didn't reach that point because of a lack of preparation by hospitals but because of our reliance on vulnerable supply chains--notably, out of China--to produce that gear.
Now imagine a supply chain breakdown happening for every industry that relies on semiconductors. Everything from healthcare, to telecommunications, to agriculture, to manufacturing would be paralyzed by a disruption of that supply chain. So one thing this virus has taught us, among other things, is to eliminate those supply chain vulnerabilities, and it is a clear signal that we need to take action to secure other critical supply chains beyond just semiconductors.
The inclusion of this provision in the NDAA was a strong start. We had a great vote of 96 Senators voting for the inclusion of this provision in the National Defense Authorization Act--strong bipartisan support. This provision in the NDAA will help restore American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing by creating a Federal incentive program through the Department of Commerce to encourage chip manufacturing here. It will stimulate domestic advanced semiconductor manufacturing and boost both our national security and global competitiveness. It will enable us to bring manufacturing jobs back to American soil so we can reduce our reliance on China and other foreign countries and strengthen the supply chains of our most critical industries.
Now comes the hard part--we have to pay for it. On Friday afternoon, I spoke with Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Ross about this legislation from, as I said, both national security and economic perspectives. Last month, the Commerce Department sent a report to the Committee on Appropriations detailing its plans to implement a semiconductor manufacturing incentive program. For everything from the authorities that will be used to establish the program to the coordination with industry leaders, the Commerce Department is ready to hit the ground running. Both the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce agree--Congress must act soon and back these programs with funding.
It is estimated that China will spend $250 billion on semiconductor manufacturing in the coming years. If left unmatched, it will control 80 percent of the semiconductor manufacturing market. If that happens, the United States will not be able to recover lost ground, which is why it is critical that we act now. Thankfully, with the help of private industry here in the United States, we can do more with less. We can stop the slide of manufacturing power to China if we put even 10 percent of what China is spending toward this essential element of our national security and our economic competitiveness.
The Senate passed this amendment over the summer with overwhelming support. I hope my colleagues on both sides will join me in continuing to fight to secure funding for this bipartisan priority, which will bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States and close a glaring and dangerous national security gap.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Ernst). The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
