Wow, the Biden regime really hit the ground running with this!
Biden administration says New Hampshire computer chip plant the first to get funding from CHIPS law
The Biden administration announced the first of many coming federal investments in computer chip production, saying Monday that it would provide $35 million for BAE Systems to increase production at a New Hampshire factory making chips for military aircraft, including F-15 and F-35 jets.
This would be the initial allocation of incentives from last year’s bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which provides more than $52 billion to boost the development and manufacturing of semiconductors in the United States.
Oh, good. Only 16 months after the bipartisan law passed the first outlay is hitting the books. Seriously, I actually expected better. Back in September 2022 the idiots at the Commerce dept were talking about taking applications in February 2023, and I figured the money would start flowing by April. Nope. And, depending on the source, most say that the chip shortage has, as JP Morgan noted back in April
The chip shortage is all but over, according to J.P. Morgan Research. In fact, there may even be oversupply in the short term, though looking further ahead, some shortages could linger as certain types of chips remain more in demand than others.
There’s certainly a judicious use of chips in certain products. Auto makers have removed certain things that need chips, and slimmed down functions for others, such as the stereo systems. But, production of vehicles is way, way up, pretty much back to normal. There’s no problems getting computers, TVs, streaming devices, tablets, phones, etc and so on. It would be nice for the US to not have to rely on chips made in China or any hostile nation.
The Commerce Department’s choice of a military contractor instead of a conventional chip manufacturer reveals the national security focus of the law, as more and more weapons systems depend on advanced chips that could be decisive in both preventing and fighting wars.
“We can’t gamble with our national security by depending solely on one part of the world or even one country for crucial advanced technologies,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who called the investments a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance our national and economic security and create a thriving, long-lasting domestic semiconductor manufacturing industry.”
There is that. But, I do have to wonder who in government is making some money off of putting the cash into a military contractor.
Biden also said the incentives his administration is providing have already led to more than $230 billion in planned investments in semiconductors and electronics.
The Democratic president has gone to a planned Intel factory in Ohio and a new Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. plant in Arizona, as well as touted investments by IBM while in New York. Biden has made these financial commitments part of his pitch to voters ahead of the 2024 elections, saying his policies have energized the U.S. economy.
But, they haven’t received the money from the CHIPS act, and, where’s this $230 billion coming from? It only authorized $52 billion.
BTW, BAE Systems is a British company. It’s good they’re making the chips in the US, but, could we not find an American company to do this?
Read: Good News: First Computer Chip Plant Funded From CHIPS Law »