The Biden administration and congressional Democrats are warning of dire ramifications for the economy and for national security if Congress fails to pass a bill by the end of July that is designed to boost semiconductor manufacturing in the United States.
Their appeals have grown increasingly urgent as Senate Republicans led by Mitch McConnell threaten to block the computer chips legislation, creating a standoff that threatens to derail one of the biggest bipartisan initiatives in Congress. Republicans have tied their cooperation to Democrats not moving forward with a separate package of energy and economic initiatives that GOP lawmakers warn would increase taxes on small businesses and hurt the economy. It's a demand that Democrats dismiss out of hand.
