A new 250-page report is encouraging the strengthening of supply chains and increased manufacturing for key products in the U.S.
The report, Building Resilient Supply Chains, Revitalizing American Manufacturing, and Fostering Broad-Based Growth, comes after President Biden in February called for a comprehensive review of the country’s supply chains, with an eye towards assessing vulnerabilities and promoting resilience.
With input from the departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, and Health and Human Services, the report is recommending that Congress spend at least $50 billion to “advance domestic manufacturing of leading-edge semiconductors, [and] expand capacity in mature node and memory production.”
Such a move is seen as crucial for supporting both new manufacturing, as well as the research and development of next-generation semiconductors.
Also recommended: up to $17 billion in federal funding for battery cell and pack manufacturing; and $50 billion for a Department of Commerce supply chain resilience program designed to provide “the tools necessary to make transformative investments sin strengthening U.S. supply chains across a range of products.”
The report additionally urges deployment of the Defense Production Act in order to “support investment in other critical sectors and enable industry and government to collaborate more effectively.”
The report comes as the White House has announced plans for the creation of a supply chain disruptions task force that will look at bottlenecks in the nation’s agriculture, construction, semiconductor and transportation industries.
By Garry Boulard