Kelly Named to Bipartisan Conference Committee Tasked with Finalizing Microchip Manufacturing Bill

Kelly will play a key role in final negotiations of landmark legislation he’s pushed through Congress for over a year

The Kelly-shaped bill will lower costs, strengthen supply chains, and create thousands of Arizona jobs 

Today, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly was named to the bipartisan conference committee tasked with finalizing landmark microchip and innovation legislation Kelly has championed and pushed forward in Congress for over a year. The legislation includes a $52 billion plan negotiated by Kelly to boost American microchip manufacturing and research that will create thousands of high-paying jobs in Arizona, strengthen supply chains, lower costs, and reduce the United States’ reliance on foreign countries for this technology critical to our national defense and economic security. 

The conference committee is made up of Republicans and Democrats from both the House and the Senate, and will work to reconcile the differences between the versions passed by each chamber so that a final bill can be signed into law. 

“After our year-long effort to push this microchip manufacturing plan through Congress, we are closer than ever to getting it over the finish line. I will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats to finalize this bill so that we can manufacture more microchips right here in Arizona, creating thousands of high-paying jobs across our state and bringing down costs for families,” said Senator Kelly, original cosponsor of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. 

Microchips are in countless products ranging from cell phones to cars and fighter jets. The United States used to produce nearly 40% of microchips globally, but now that number is closer to 12%. There is currently a global microchip shortage, slowing manufacturing lines and driving up prices. Arizona is home to one of the largest microchip industries in the country and is poised to grow with investment plans from Intel and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Recently, Kelly met with Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger in his Washington, DC office where they discussed Intel’s continued investments in Arizona and progress on the Kelly-shaped bill. The bill, which includes the Kelly-negotiated plan to boost domestic microchip manufacturing, would support Intel’s creation of two new fabs which are expected to create thousands of jobs.