Utah State Representative Blake Moore has announced the introduction of the bipartisan Semiconductor Technology Advancement and Research (STAR) Act, which aims to boost U.S. leadership in semiconductor research and development. The bill proposes a new investment tax credit for semiconductor design expenditures to support these initiatives.
According to Moore's House.gov page, the STAR Act proposes a 25% tax credit for semiconductor design research and development expenditures, aiming to strengthen U.S. leadership in this critical field. Semiconductor design is essential for improving chip performance and supporting advanced technologies across industries such as defense, healthcare, energy, agriculture, and transportation. As global investment in semiconductor R&D surpasses that of the U.S., the STAR Act seeks to ensure that semiconductor intellectual property remains secure and originates in the United States. The bipartisan bill is supported by Representatives Michael McCaul, Suzan DelBene, Doris Matsui, John Moolenaar, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Claudia Tenney, Ro Khanna, and Joe Morelle.
"Semiconductors are the lynchpin to the technologies of the future in countless sectors, from health care to defense to energy, and they are critical to U.S. national security and global competitiveness," said Moore. "I am proud to introduce the STAR Act with a bipartisan group of colleagues to create an investment incentive to enhance U.S. leadership in chip design and maintain a secure value chain for these innovations."
Hanna Dohmen, a data research analyst at the Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology, said during an episode of Federal Newswire's China Desk podcast that the American semiconductor supply chain is dependent upon Taiwan. "The tough times that we went through during the pandemic highlighted a lot of geopolitical considerations about supply chains, particularly in the semiconductor industry," Dohmen said. "When we think about where chips are manufactured, especially advanced chips, which are necessary to power those emerging technologies, we are almost entirely dependent on one company that is based in Taiwan, TSMC."
Moore currently serves as the first Utah Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee with positions on the Healthcare, Social Security, and Work and Welfare subcommittees as well as the House Budget Committee. He advocates for policies to address the national debt supports Utah’s defense community and represents Hill Air Force Base as co-chair of the Armed Forces and Depot caucuses. Elected Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference in November 2023 Moore is also noted as being the first Utahn to hold a House or Senate position according to House.gov.
