WASHINGTON DC — Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Susie Lee (D-NV), Julia Brownley (D-CA), and C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) in a letter urging the U.S. Departments of Defense and Commerce to continue to bolster microchip supply chains that are vital to American military readiness and national security. In the letter, the lawmakers call on these agencies to use their authority to support American companies producing computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines that rely on microchips. CNC machines are vital to the manufacturing of everything from cars and airplanes to military and medical equipment.
The CNC manufacturing industry supports our economy and our national security. Haas Automation, the last major U.S. builder of CNC machine tools, employs 1,700 high-skilled American workers, and is currently constructing a 2.2-million-square-foot plant in Henderson, Nevada that will create over 500 new jobs. Without federal assistance through the Defense Production Act to establish a guaranteed microchip supply chain to sustain their operations while domestic chip manufacturing ramps up, Haas and other companies across the country could have to slow down or even halt production due to critical chip shortages.
“We respectfully seek your agencies’ continued leadership and assistance in considering expanded Defense Production Act Title I authority to ensure needed supplies of microelectronics to sustain production lines by the U.S. computer numerically controlled (CNC) manufacturing base,” wrote the lawmakers.
“Essential to U.S. national security, the U.S. CNC manufacturing base faces acute production shutdowns… due to insufficient chip supplies through its U.S. distribution channels,” the lawmakers continued. “The U.S. requires a robust CNC manufacturing base to maintain military readiness and the U.S. economy, which is increasingly faced with Chinese and other foreign competitors that threaten U.S. national security. With increased domestic chip production capacity from the CHIPS Act not being felt for another 2-3 years, the U.S. CNC manufacturing base needs immediate, short-term relief to sustain production until U.S. chip manufacturing ramps up production.”
The full letter can be found aquí.
Senator Rosen has been working to boost competitiveness in Nevada and nationally, address supply chain issues, and lower costs for hard working Americans. Most recently, Senator Rosen helped pass the CHIPS and Science Act, which included several key provisions that she led or supported including bipartisan legislation to break down barriers in rural STEM education, a bipartisan initiative to support advanced manufacturing workforce development, and a provision to develop a reliable critical mineral supply chain.
