Young, Colleagues Highlight Successful Passage of Chips Permitting Bill in the Senate NDAA

WASHINGTON – Tonight, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and Ted Budd (R-N.C.) highlighted the successful passage of their microchip manufacturing permitting reform bill, the Building Chips in America Act, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The Building Chips in America Act was introduced earlier this month by Senators Young and Kelly and added to the NDAA as Kelly Amendment #985. This bipartisan legislation will maximize the impact of the CHIPS and Science Act enacted last year by streamlining federal reviews for chip manufacturing projects, while keeping environmental protections in place. This will prevent construction delays for projects across the country. Text of the amendment is available here.

“The CHIPS and Science Act included manufacturing incentives vital to increasing chip production here in the U.S., protecting our national security interests and boosting our economic security at the same time. However, as implementation proceeds, unnecessary regulatory burdens are threatening to slow down these critical investments in domestic semiconductor manufacturing and pause construction that has already begun,” said Senator Young. “I’m encouraged by the Senate’s vote to pass the Building Chips in America Act and will push for this legislation to be included in the final NDAA negotiated by the House and Senate.”

“By cutting through the red tape to prevent delays of microchip manufacturing projects, this is going to maximize the impact of the CHIPS Act to create good-paying jobs, reduce our reliance on foreign supply chains, and strengthen our national security. And it does that while maintaining bedrock environmental protections for clean air and water,” said Senator Kelly. “We got this passed by working together as Republicans and Democrats to find common ground and get things done. And although there’s still a road ahead of us to get it passed in the House, I am confident that our strong bipartisan coalition will work hand-in-hand with our cosponsors in the House to get the Building Chips in America Act across the finish line.”