Schumer push to add China tech bill to U.S. defense bill faces hurdles
Send a link to a friend
[November 17, 2021]
By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate
Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's plan to attach a measure to
boost U.S. competitiveness with China to a massive defense policy bill
faces new hurdles in Congress.
The Senate in June passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA),
which includes $52 billion to dramatically increase U.S. semiconductor
chip production and authorizes $190 billion to strengthen U.S.
technology and research. But the bill never received a vote in the House
of Representatives, and supporters have been working for months to find
a way to pass it and get it signed into law.
Schumer said Tuesday he hopes to include USICA as part of the annual
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that will be put on the Senate
floor Wednesday.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Nov/17/images/ads/current/debbiesfloral_lda_OPENHOUSE_2021.png)
"The chip shortage is not some abstract issue – it’s impacting the daily
lives of Americans," Schumer said. "Cars, refrigerators and other
household appliances require chips. Supply shortages means Americans are
left waiting a long times for these essentials."
But Senator Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with the Democrats, on Tuesday
criticized the chips proposal, calling it "corporate welfare, with no
strings attached, for a handful of extremely profitable microchip
companies."
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday he
thinks the House should pass its own version of USICA first "and then we
can have a conference with the Senate."
[to top of second column]
|
![](../images/111721PIX/news_m25.jpg)
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters
following the Senate Democrats weekly policy lunch at the U.S.
Capitol in Washington, U.S., November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Elizabeth
Frantz/File Photo
![](../images/ads/current/centraldirect_lda_SPONSOR_2021.png)
Senator Mark Kelly, also a Democrat, noted the United States relies
largely on imported semiconductors. "This plan has sat idle," Kelly
said. "There is no more time to waste on this."
In the evenly divided Senate, every Democratic vote is critical.
Once the Senate approves its version of NDAA, Senate and House
negotiators will work on a compromise.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Reuters in an interview
last week that the administration was pushing hard to win USICA
approval. "It has to happen by the end of this year. It's
essential," Raimondo said.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Leslie Adler)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Nov/17/images/ads/current/countryfinancial_lda_PPP_2018.png) |