Virginia Delegation Urges Placement of Future National Semi-Conductor Sites & Investments in Virginia

U.S. Agent Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11) joined Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), and the relaxation of the Virginia congressional delegation in contacting on the U.S. Department of Commerce to think about Virginia for long term destinations of important semiconductor production and research services — as efforts to fund the CHIPS for America Act carry on.

In a letter sent to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, the full Virginia congressional delegation urged the Office to understand the role Virginia can engage in in strengthening the American semiconductor business and building new careers in this critical sector. Particularly, they named on Secretary Raimondo to think about Virginia as the web page for the National Semiconductor Technology Heart (NSTC) and Nationwide Sophisticated Packaging Manufacturing Method (NAPMP) — two initiatives founded by the CHIPS for The usa Act that would be funded by laws now beneath consideration by Congress.

The letter was also signed by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and U.S. Associates Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Bob Fantastic (R-VA-05), Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09), Elaine Luria (D-VA-02), A. Donald McEachin (D-VA-04), Bobby Scott, (D-VA-03), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10), and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01).

“Thank you for your do the job to fortify American semiconductor production, and the Office of Commerce’s initiatives with Congress to pass the CHIPS for America Act. As Congress will work to fully fund the essential applications authorized by the legislation, we create to specific our robust assist for taking into consideration Virginia for internet sites to set up the Countrywide Semiconductor Technological innovation Heart (NSTC), National Sophisticated Packaging Manufacturing Application (NAPMP), and other federal investments in semiconductor exploration and manufacturing,” mentioned the Virginia Associates.

In their letter, the Virginia Associates also outlined Virginia’s longstanding management in the semiconductor business, as well as the factors why Virginia’s economic system would be finest suited for these new centers.

The Virginia Members ongoing, “Virginia’s top technologies workforce and semiconductor manufacturing presence make the Commonwealth an suitable spot for foreseeable future federal investments in semiconductor investigation and production. Virginia has the 2nd optimum focus of know-how staff in the US, and web technological innovation employment in Virginia grew by extra than 27,000 work opportunities concerning 2010 and 2019. Virginia also has sturdy instruction infrastructure, in particular in Science, Technologies, Engineering, Math (STEM) levels and credentials. In 2019-20, Virginia’s public and personal nonprofit faculties and universities awarded 122,869 levels and certificates in regions these kinds of as overall health treatment, company, education, information and facts technological know-how and other need fields.”

Virginia is already residence to a number of shovel-ready web sites that are completely ready to aid new semiconductor production, investigation, and improvement. This preparing was outlined by the Henrico Economic Progress Authority and the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors backing this hard work to protected these web sites.

“We are ready. Thanks to the really hard function of Rep. Spanberger and Sen. Warner to move the CHIPS Act ahead, Henrico and the Commonwealth of Virginia are poised for semiconductor investment.  We have a lengthy background of innovation in the semiconductor market, and with our strong infrastructure, shovel prepared web-sites, and talented workforce we are completely ready to satisfy the requires of the semiconductor market,” explained Anthony J. Romanello, Government Director, Henrico Economic Growth Authority.

“Securing state-of-the-art production is vital to developing local, regional and state economies, which is why Chesterfield has taken a strategic tactic to be all set when prospects knock. This expands into our organized and prepared workforce and streamlined planning and allowing processes, which make it easy to do business enterprise in Chesterfield. We’ve worked with our economic and local community advancement pros to ascertain what’s needed and the place, and we’re positioning Chesterfield to be a desired and major area in attracting technological know-how and other superior production to the Commonwealth. We appreciate Sen. Warner and Rep. Spanberger for supporting this effort in Virginia,” explained Chris Winslow, Chairman, Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors.

Click listed here to browse the total letter, and the comprehensive letter textual content is down below.

—

Expensive Secretary Raimondo,

Thank you for your operate to fortify American semiconductor producing, and the Division of Commerce’s endeavours with Congress to go the CHIPS for The united states Act. As Congress will work to entirely fund the critical systems licensed by the regulation, we write to convey our robust assistance for looking at Virginia for internet sites to set up the National Semiconductor Technological innovation Centre (NSTC), Countrywide State-of-the-art Packaging Producing Method (NAPMP), and other federal investments in semiconductor investigation and manufacturing.

We enjoy the Office of Commerce’s management in convening enterprise leaders and federal government officials to tackle source chain disruptions and semiconductor chip shortages. These troubles are at the coronary heart of rising costs that are impacting Americans’ pocketbooks. Furthermore, investing in domestic semiconductor production is very important for US international competitiveness and countrywide safety. As these types of, we strongly help robust funding for the CHIPS Act, and feel Virginia is uniquely positioned to properly leverage federal investments to improve domestic production.

Virginia’s main engineering workforce and semiconductor manufacturing presence make the Commonwealth an suitable locale for potential federal investments in semiconductor exploration and production. Virginia has the next highest concentration of technological know-how employees in the US, and net engineering employment in Virginia grew by more than 27,000 work opportunities concerning 2010 and 2019. Virginia also has strong schooling infrastructure, in particular in Science, Technological innovation, Engineering, Math (STEM) levels and credentials. In 2019-20, Virginia’s public and private nonprofit schools and universities awarded 122,869 levels and certificates in spots these kinds of as overall health care, enterprise, schooling, details engineering and other demand from customers fields.

In addition to the Commonwealth’s hugely geared up workforce, there are quite a few shovel-completely ready internet sites in Virginia that are eager to assist new producing, study, and growth. Several top semiconductor producing firms, this kind of as Micron Know-how and GeneSiC, have previously picked out Virginia for massive investments, this sort of as for new semiconductor production vegetation, or expanding functions. Virginia has been named the “Top Point out for Business” 5 instances because CNBC began rating states for undertaking organization in 2007, most recently ranking initial in 2021. For these causes, Virginia is strongly suited to be a liable steward of federal investments in domestic semiconductor production and investigate, and boost U.S. international competitiveness in this essential sector.

We keep on to strongly assist the Department’s perform in advertising and marketing domestic semiconductor creation and analysis, and we urge you to look at Virginia for the NSTC, NAPMP, and other investments as the Office implements the CHIPS for The usa Act. Thank you for your entire and good consideration of this request, consistent with relevant company guidelines.