U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, along with industry partners, recently attended a roundtable discussion in Taylor, Michigan on the current semiconductor chip shortage which is impacting a broad number of industries.
The discussion, hosted by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), focused on the impact of the shortages on Michigan's auto industry and how important funding and collaboration is to improving U.S. manufacturing of semiconductor chips, a Commerce Department press release said.
“The United States was once a leader in the production of semiconductor chips, which power our smartphones, medical equipment, and automobiles. But today, we account for only 12% of global production and produce zero percent of the most advanced chips,” Secretary Raimondo said in the release.
The ongoing shortage of semiconductor chips has impacted U.S. auto manufacturers, forcing them to cut production, which affects workers and suppliers, the release said. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said the shortage affects 575,000 jobs in the automotive industry.
“We have to work together to tackle the chip crisis head-on,” Whitmer said.
Dingell has pushed for action on the shortage in the past, introducing “legislation to increase incentives to invest in facilities and equipment to domestically manufacture critical chip components,” the release said.
“This Roundtable had been in the making for months because Michigan is ground zero for where the chip shortage is devastating auto workers and auto companies,” Dingell said in the release. “I’ve talked to the President, my colleagues in Congress, and many cabinet members about this – Secretary Raimondo recognizes the severity of this crisis.”
