The world is immersed in the digital age, with technology in virtually every industrial sector that requires advanced microchips. America’s entire economy depends on semiconductor chips – from our cell phones to fighter jets, from medical devices and automobiles to home appliances.  Currently, Taiwan makes more than 90 percent of advanced semiconductors – the brains behind the quantum computing and artificial intelligence that run America’s most advanced military weapons systems – and it’s no secret that China has its eyes on invading Taiwan.

If China, our biggest economic and national security threat, were to control advanced semiconductor chip design and production, it would be catastrophic to our national security. As President Trump’s former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently said, ‘The cost of compromise on this bill pales in comparison to the costs we will suffer if we allow the Communist Chinese party to one day own and control access to our most critical advanced technologies.’

The U.S. can no longer rely on economic and national security supply chains that run through China or its sphere of influence.  Period.

The governments of our adversaries and allies alike are investing heavily in advanced semiconductor chip innovation and production. We cannot afford to fall behind, and we cannot afford to depend on some of the worst people in the world to supply us with a product so critical to our economic and national security.

The CHIPS Act will invest $50 billion to build, expand, and modernize chip fabrication right here at home in Ohio.  This legislation will generate billions of dollars in economic growth and tax revenue – not to mention thousands of new manufacturing and high-tech jobs across the region. This is a win for both the Buckeye State and our Nation.

— Bill Johnson represents the 6th Congressional district, which includes Lawrence County