WASHINGTON — The Biden administration and congressional Democrats are trying to break a deadlock on legislation aimed at enhancing U.S. competitiveness with China and boosting the domestic semiconductor industry, which has been stalled since Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell threatened to scuttle the bill.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines are among the administration officials briefing senators Wednesday on the national security implications of the legislation, which includes a widely supported provision providing $52 billion in grants and incentives for domestic semiconductor manufacturing.
“It would be malpractice not to get this to the president’s desk,” Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, one of the original sponsors of the chip provision, said in an interview. “Not only because of the investment but the fact that companies are making decisions right now.”
