Washington, D.C. – TechNet, the national bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, today submitted comments to the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), on their review of semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging supply chain. The following statement can be attributed to Carl Holshouser, TechNet’s Senior Vice President:
“Technology has powered America during the pandemic by producing personal protective equipment and ventilators, helping scientists to discover new drug treatments and research vaccines, reducing barriers to telework options, connecting students and teachers, delivering food, providing emergency transportation, and facilitating contract tracing and vaccine distribution. None of this work would have been possible without the power of semiconductor-enabled technologies. Semiconductors power the technologies that drive innovation, fuel economic growth, and strengthen our national security and global competitiveness.
“With demand surging, the government must implement economic policy and financial incentive programs that increase domestic semiconductor manufacturing and global chip production for the benefit of all end-use chip consumers and semiconductor-consuming industries, without prioritizing one industry over another. Picking winners and losers undermines efforts to improve supply chain resilience and would exacerbate the growing digital divide, further impacting those who are most vulnerable.
“We applaud efforts by President Biden and Congress to increase investment in domestic chip production and distribution capabilities, and stand ready to work with them on long-term solutions to address the growing demand for chips.”