On May 11, a cross-sector alliance of semiconductor companies and major downstream users of semiconductors from a range of important sectors announced the formation of the Semiconductors in America Coalition (SIAC). SIAC’s mission is to advance federal policies that promote semiconductor manufacturing and research in the U.S. to strengthen America’s economy, national security, and critical infrastructure.

SIAC’s primary focus is to secure funding for the CHIPS for America Act, legislation enacted earlier this year that authorized – but did not fund – needed semiconductor manufacturing incentives and research initiatives. In one of its first actions, SIAC today sent a letter to congressional leaders in support of legislation to advance the bipartisan effort to fully fund the CHIPS for America Act.

“Semiconductors are the brains of the systems and technologies that enable America’s economic growth, national security, digital infrastructure, and global technology leadership,” said John Neuffer, president and CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), whose members joined with other companies in the semiconductor ecosystem and leaders in downstream sectors to form SIAC. “Leaders from a broad range of critical sectors of the U.S. economy, as well as a large and bipartisan group of policymakers in Washington, recognize the essential role of semiconductors in America’s current and future strength. The Semiconductors in America Coalition looks forward to working with Congress and the Biden Administration to enact needed federal investments in domestic semiconductor manufacturing and research, as called for in the CHIPS for America Act, so more of the chips our country needs are produced on U.S. shores.”

SIA members basically include the world's largest semiconductor companies, such as AMD, ADI, Broadcom, Intel, ON Semiconductor, Globalfoundries, Qorvo, Qualcomm, TI, Infineon, arm, NXP, Allegro, Sk hynix, Samsung, TSMC, etc. In addition, SIAC members include Amazon Web Services, Apple, AT&T, Cisco Systems, General Electric, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Microsoft, and Verizon. In its letter to the US congressional leaders, SIAC members stated the current global chip shortage has highlighted the need to ensure a stronger and more resilient domestic semiconductor supply chain over the long term.