President Biden travels to Arizona to promote chip production

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - President Biden is headed to Arizona Tuesday to check out a new semiconductor chip manufacturing plant in Phoenix.

The president’s visit follows his signing major legislation this summer to encourage companies to make more chips here at home.

During his visit to Phoenix Tuesday, the White House says President Biden will check out the $12 billion Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company plant and tout how his economic plan is leading to a “manufacturing boom.”

The White House says more than 700,000 manufacturing jobs have been created as a direct result of President Biden’s policies.

In the press briefing Monday, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre highlighting how the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act will provide billions in incentives to companies to make semiconductor chips in the US.

“This investment will bring new jobs and economic opportunity to Arizona, very important to the people in Arizona. And it’s in large part thanks to the CHIPS and Science Act the president signed into law.”

Karson Elmgren researches data and technology policy at Georgetown University.

He says because the US has fallen behind in the manufacturing of chips, the CHIPS Act and facilities like the one in Arizona will help the US re-establish its place in the market.

“The United States is doing well in the semiconductor industry, economically, but strategically for the kind of to maintain access to semiconductors. That’s why having semiconductor manufacturing in the United States is important today.”

Access to the chips here in the US is a huge deal considering the bulk of them are made in Taiwan which has been threatened by potential Chinese military action.