The U.S. Senate’s March 28 vote to approve its version of the Bipartisan Innovation Act moves it one step closer to securing critical supply chains and bringing home good-quality manufacturing jobs, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said.
“Today, the Senate moved our nation one step closer toward revitalizing American semiconductor manufacturing, securing our critical supply chains and bringing home good-quality manufacturing jobs,” Raimondo said, according to a Department of Commerce news release.
Reportedly, the House is expected to reject the legislation approved by the Senate and request a conference committee to reconcile the differences, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation said in a March 28 release.
Every day the bill gets delayed gives foreign competitors of the U.S. the opportunity to gain an edge, Raimondo said.
“Today’s Senate vote is an unmistakable sign that members of both parties understand that making more chips in America is vital to protecting our workers, our businesses and our national security,” she said, according to the release. “This effort has the backing of the business community, labor unions, national security experts and leaders in both parties.”
Raimondo said the bill is sorely needed and has bipartisan support. She looks forward to working with lawmakers named to the conference committee, the release said.
