Schumer, senators aim to boost tech industries, jobs with legislative package

Washington, D.C. – Congressional leaders are working on a legislative package they hope will help protect American jobs and keep the U.S. an international leader in innovative technologies.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he’s directing committee members and chairs in the Senate to work on legislation that would help the country outcompete China when it comes to these industries. These efforts would include investments in the semiconductor industry.

He said the push is bipartisan in nature, and will help fill gaps in the nation’s economy.

“Right now, semiconductor manufacturing is a dangerous weak spot in our economy and in our national security,” Schumer said during a caucus call Tuesday. “That has to change. You’ve all seen that auto plants throughout America are closed because they can’t get the chips. We cannot rely on foreign processors for chips. We cannot allow China to get ahead of us in chip production. This will be part of the proposal that we will introduce. We will also talk about the build-out of 5G and how America can remain number one there.”

Schumer said he hopes to have legislation available for a vote by the spring.