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The
AFL-CIO trade federation representing 12.5 million workers said
in a letter to lawmakers the bill's $52 billion for chips is
critical to "addressing the current chip shortage that continues
to adversely impact production in the automotive sector and
elsewhere."
The U.S. House plans to take up the bill later this week. On
Tuesday, the House Rules Committee is set to consider more than
500 proposed amendments to the bill including one from
Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush that
would bar semiconductor firms receiving government subsidies
from paying dividends or repurchasing company stock.
On Wednesday, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will speak to
House Democrats about the importance of the legislation,
according to an invitation seen by Reuters.
The union said the bill "will provide critical and overdue
enhancements to America’s global competitive capabilities,
support workers whose jobs are lost to trade, and protect and
expand the tools to fight foreign unfair trade."
The U.S Chamber of Commerce said it was pleased the House "is
now starting the process of considering its version of this
legislation. House action is an essential step in producing a
bill that can be signed into law."
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Friday that the House would
vote on the 2,900-page bill, called the "America Competes" act.
The bill authorizes $45 billion to support supply-chain
resilience and manufacturing of critical goods and industrial
equipment.
President Joe Biden's administration is pushing Congress to
approve funding to subsidize chip production in the United
States, as shortages of the component used in vehicles and
computers have exacerbated supply-chain bottlenecks.
The Senate passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act last
year, which includes $52 billion for chips and authorizes $190
billion to strengthen U.S. technology and research to compete
with China.
The House bill has some differences with the Senate version. If
approved, leaders of both chambers will negotiate to resolve
differences.
The AFL-CIO backed a new review process to protect supply chains
"by screening outbound investment and guarding against
offshoring of critical capabilities to adversaries like China
and Russia."
The group added "from semiconductors to pharmaceutical
ingredients, it will provide a needed review mechanism to
advance U.S. production and employment."
(Reporting by David Shepardson; additional reporting by Patricia
Zengerle ; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Stephen Coates)
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