Young: Passage of CHIPS Bill a Win for National Security

(INDIANAPOLIS) – Indiana Senator Todd Young says the tech industry bill on its way to President Biden will boost not just the economy but national security.
The CHIPS and Science bill seeks to help American tech firms catch up to China in areas from semiconductors to hypersonic technology. Young says China has been outpacing the U.S. in areas from nanotechnology to semiconductors. He says if China can crack American codes faster than the U.S. can do the same, it creates a direct national security risk. For instance, China could use quantum computing technology to pinpoint the location of missile-equipped American submarines.
And Young says the offshoring of American tech factories has left the U.S. supply chain dependent either on China itself, or in countries like Taiwan potentially under threat from China.
The bill spends more than a quarter-trillion dollars to subsidize tech manufacturing and research in the U.S. and establish “tech hubs.” Young says the free market by itself isn’t enough to elevate American manufacturers against Chinese manipulation of prices and supply.
Young and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) have been working on the bill for years. Supporters project the bill will lead to thousands of jobs. But as negotiators approached a deal last week, Young says he became concerned the national-security half of the equation wasn’t getting enough attention, and arranged a classified briefing for all 100 senators with national security experts to spell out specifics of Chinese advantages.
Tech companies have pledged to build or expand computer chip factories in five states. Young says Indiana may benefit as well. He predicts Indiana has a good chance of hosting one of the planned tech hubs. And he says part of $200 billion in spending on research could find its way to Purdue, Rose-Hulman and Notre Dame.
Indiana Representatives Jim Baird and Trey Hollingsworth were among 24 House Republicans who joined Democrats to pass the measure.