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Biden-Harris Administration Launches Next Phase for Over $5 Billion in CHIPS R&D Investments

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WASHINGTON — Feb 9, Leaders from the Departments of Commerce, Defense, and Energy; and the National Science Foundation; and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for the Advancement of Semiconductor Technology (Natcast) gathered at the White House to announce over $5 billion in expected investment in the CHIPS R&D program, including the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), and formally establish a public-private consortium for the NSTC. The announcement included hundreds of millions of dollars of expected investment in the semiconductor workforce; along with specific funding announcements in packaging, metrology, and a CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute. This announcement is a reflection of President Biden’s commitment to American innovation and research and development.

The NSTC is the centerpiece of CHIPS for America’s $11 billion research and development (R&D) program. A once in-a-generation opportunity, the NSTC will bring together government, industry, labor, customers, suppliers, educational institutions, entrepreneurs, and investors to accelerate the pace of new innovations from idea to marketplace. As a public-private consortium, the NSTC will lower the barriers to participation in semiconductor R&D to create a more vibrant national ecosystem and to directly address fundamental needs for a skilled, diverse semiconductor workforce.

The announcements and consortium agreement signing, leaders from across the semiconductor community participated in roundtables led by White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Arati Prabhakar, National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, and Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio, along with senior government leaders from the White House; Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, Labor, Education; and the National Science Foundation. The roundtables centered on the R&D opportunities and need for industry participation, along with how CHIPS for America will help increase access to talent for employers and access to opportunity for Americans who want to work in the semiconductor industry.

“CHIPS research and development programs are at the core of our greatest innovations and help to find the solutions for the semiconductor industry’s most pressing challenges. With strategic investments in R&D complementing targeted industry incentives, CHIPS for America will not only bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. – it will keep it here for good. As we create opportunities for good-paying jobs, the workforce initiatives, such as the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence, will help ensure a diverse, skilled, and prepared workforce across the nation,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

“Because of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, semiconductor manufacturing is coming back in America. Now it’s time to make sure we win the future, too. The NSTC is a place where our CHIPS R&D investments will deliver big advances—advances that will open opportunities for the American semiconductor industry, create good-paying jobs, and strengthen our supply chains,” said White House Office of Science and Technology Director Arati Prabhakar.

President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act appropriated $39 billion to the Department of Commerce in funding to onshore semiconductor manufacturing through an incentives program. The appropriation also included $11 billion to advance U.S. leadership in semiconductor R&D through four programs: the NSTC, the National Advanced Packing Manufacturing Program, the CHIPS Metrology Program and the CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute.

“For the United States to lead the world in semiconductors, all parts of the R&D enterprise must work hand in hand with manufacturers to bolster each other’s successes and move the industry ever forward,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio. “With the NSTC at the epicenter, CHIPS R&D programs are working to revolutionize the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem and enable rapid adoption of innovations to enhance domestic competitiveness for decades to come.”

With the official launch of the NSTC consortium, there are opportunities to express interest in joining the NSTC. Further information about this may be found on the NSTC website.

“Our first priority is to build a community whose members will help define the strategy and investments core to the semiconductor R&D ecosystem,” said Deirdre Hanford, CEO of Natcast, the nonprofit operator of the NSTC. “The NSTC represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to establish a new, long-lasting institution that can serve as an engine of innovation to benefit our nation’s national and economic security for decades to come.”

The NSTC is one of four CHIPS for America research and development programs. Together, these programs are establishing the innovation ecosystem needed to ensure that American semiconductor fabrication facilities, including those funded by the CHIPS for America Act, produce the world’s most sophisticated and advanced technologies. CHIPS for America’s Jay Lewis, NSTC Program Director, and Deirdre Hanford, CEO of Natcast, will provide an update on early NSTC activities in March 2024.

Biden-Harris Administration and BAE Systems, Inc., Announce CHIPS Preliminary Terms to Support Critical U.S. National Security Project in Nashua, New Hampshire

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U.S. Department of Commerce Outlines Potential Funding of Approximately $35 Million in Support of U.S. Defense Capabilities, Including F-35 Fighter Jet Program

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and BAE Systems Electronic Systems, a business unit of BAE Systems, Inc., have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide approximately $35 million in federal incentives under the CHIPS and Science Act to support the modernization of the company’s Microelectronics Center, a mature-node production facility in Nashua, New Hampshire. The project will replace aging tools and quadruple the production of chips necessary for critical defense programs including the F-35 fighter jet program.

The Department’s PMT with BAE Systems, Inc., marks the beginning of the next phase of implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, a key part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.

“We have been clear since day one that the CHIPS for America Program is about advancing our national security and strengthening domestic supply chains, all while creating good jobs supporting long-term U.S. economic growth. As national security becomes as much about the chips inside of our weapons systems as the weapons systems themselves, this first CHIPS announcement shows how central semiconductors are to our national defense,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we have reached preliminary terms to make a substantial investment in New Hampshire’s expanding defense industrial base, which will help make our country and supply chains more secure and bolster the economy of the Granite State.”

“This announcement delivers on President Biden’s commitment to restoring American leadership on semiconductors, advancing our national security, and creating good family-sustaining jobs here in New Hampshire and around the country,” said Director of the National Economic Council Lael Brainard.

“This announcement of the PMT with BAE Systems, Inc., demonstrates our vision for the CHIPS for America program to ensure that we have a robust production capacity for the chips vital to U.S. national security,” said Under Secretary of Commerce of Commerce for Standards and Technology Dr. Laurie E. Locascio.  “This is the first of many announcements that will enhance our nation’s manufacturing capacity and create new jobs and opportunities in communities across the country.”

“Microelectronics are at the heart of the technology and products we make for our defense and aerospace customers—from next-generation aircraft and satellites to military-grade GPS and secure communications,” said Tom Arseneault, president and CEO of BAE Systems, Inc. “This funding will help modernize our Microelectronics Center and fulfill the promise of the CHIPS and Science Act by increasing our capacity to serve national defense programs, growing our technical workforce, and helping to strengthen the nation’s onshore supply chain. This initiative is the result of a strong partnership with federal, state, and local government.”

As explained in the Department’s first Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Department may offer applicants a PMT on a non-binding basis after satisfactory completion of the merit review of a full application. The PMT outlines key terms for a CHIPS incentives award, including the amount and form of the award. After the PMT is signed, the Department begins a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed project and other information contained in the application. After satisfactory completion of the due diligence phase, the Department may enter into final award documents with the applicant. Terms of the final award documents are subject to negotiations with the applicant and may differ from the terms of the PMT.

President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act into law in August 2022, which is a critical part of revitalizing American semiconductor manufacturing to create jobs, strengthen supply chains, protect national security, and advance U.S. competitiveness.

In a little more than a year since the CHIPS Act was signed into law, the Department has moved quickly to create the CHIPS Program Office and the CHIPS R&D Office and has built a team that represents decades of experience across industry and government. In February 2023, the Department released the first Notice of Funding Opportunity for commercial manufacturing facilities, and then opened it to include large supply chain projects. The Department also released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for smaller semiconductor supply chain projects and expects to launch the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) in the near future.

About CHIPS for America

The Department has received more than 550 statements of interest and nearly 150 pre-applications, full applications, and concept plans for CHIPS Incentives. The Department is continuing to conduct rigorous evaluation of applications to determine which projects will advance U.S. national economic security, attract more private capital, and deliver other economic benefits to the country.

CHIPS for America is part of President Biden’s economic plan to invest in America, stimulate private sector investment, create good-paying jobs, make more in the United States, and revitalize communities left behind. CHIPS for America includes the CHIPS Program Office, responsible for manufacturing incentives, and the CHIPS Research and Development Office, responsible for R&D programs, that both sit within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. NIST is uniquely positioned to successfully administer the CHIPS for America program because of the bureau’s strong relationships with U.S. industries, its deep understanding of the semiconductor ecosystem, and its reputation as fair and trusted.

U.S.-UK Joint Statement on the U.S-UK Data Bridge

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Washington D.C., June 9 – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology the Rt Hon Chloe Smith MP issued a joint statement yesterday on the announcement that both countries have committed in principle to establish a data bridge.

“Today, President Joseph R. Biden and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that they have committed in principle to establish a data bridge allowing for the free flow of data between organizations in the United Kingdom and participating organizations in the United States.

“This announcement represents the UK’s intent to establish a data bridge for the UK Extension to the U.S.-EU Data Privacy Framework, subject to the UK’s data bridge assessment and further technical work being finalized, and dependent on the U.S. designation of the UK as a qualifying state under Executive Order 14086.

“Today’s announcement also reflects two years of progress and is a key step towards realizing both countries’ mutual ambition to establish a data bridge that would restore a robust and reliable mechanism for U.S.-UK data flows. 

“A U.S.-UK data bridge would uphold the rights of data subjects, facilitate responsible innovation, and provide individuals in both countries greater access to the services that suit them, whilst reducing the burdens on businesses and delivering better outcomes for people.

“We expect that the establishment of the data bridge will also further facilitate transfers to U.S. organizations that rely on other data transfer mechanisms under UK law.

“Reaching this significant milestone builds on the goal set at the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-UK Comprehensive Dialogue on Technology and Data, in January, to finalize a data bridge for U.S.-UK data flows in 2023 and is reflective of the importance of international collaboration to meet the global challenges and opportunities on data.

“We will continue working together to facilitate trusted cross-border data flows, including on multilateral initiatives, such as the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules Forum, and through international fora, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).”

U.S. Department of Commerce Establishes National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee

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U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo today announced that the Commerce Department has established a high-level committee to advise the President and other federal agencies on a range of issues related to artificial intelligence (AI). Working with the National AI Initiative Office (NAIIO) in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the Department is now seeking to recruit top-level candidates to serve on the committee.

A formal notice describing the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC) and the call for nominations for the committee and its Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence and Law Enforcement appears in the Federal Register published today.

“AI presents an enormous opportunity to tackle the biggest issues of our time, strengthen our technological competitiveness, and be an engine for growth in nearly every sector of the economy,” said Secretary Raimondo. “But we must be thoughtful, creative, and wise in how we address the challenges that accompany these new technologies. That includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that President Biden’s comprehensive commitment to advancing equity and racial justice extends to our development and use of AI technology. This committee will help the federal government to do that by providing insights into a full range of issues raised by AI.”

“We have seen major advances in the design, development, and use of AI, especially in the past several years,” said Eric Lander, White House Science Advisor and OSTP Director. “We must be sure that these advances are matched by similar progress in ensuring that AI is trustworthy, and that it ensures fairness and protections for civil rights. I look forward to working with and learning from this committee.”

The National AI Initiative Act of 2020 calls for the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and other department officials, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence, to establish the NAIAC. The committee is to provide recommendations on topics including the current state of U.S. AI competitiveness; progress in implementing the Initiative; the state of science around AI; issues related to AI workforce, including barriers to employment supporting opportunities for historically underrepresented populations; how to leverage initiative resources; the need to update the initiative; the balance of activities and funding across the initiative; the adequacy of the National AI R&D Strategic Plan; management, coordination, and activities of the initiative; adequacy of addressing societal issues; opportunities for international cooperation; issues related to accountability and legal rights; and how AI can enhance opportunities for diverse geographic regions.

The NAIAC will consist of expert leaders from a broad and interdisciplinary range of AI-relevant disciplines from across academia, industry, non-profits and civil society, and federal laboratories. These experts will be qualified to provide advice and information on science and technology research, development, ethics, standards, education, fairness, civil rights implications, technology transfer, commercial application, security, and economic competitiveness related to AI.

With AI already changing how society addresses economic competitiveness, national security challenges, and equitable opportunities, NIST and its researchers are dedicated to ensuring AI technologies are developed and used in a trustworthy and responsible manner that allows for accuracy, security, explainability and interpretability, reliability, privacy, safety, and the mitigation of bias. Trustworthy data, standards, and integration of machine learning and AI in applications are critical for the successful deployment of new technologies and the identification and mitigation of sources of algorithmic bias.

Nominations for the Committee and Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence and Law Enforcement will be accepted on an ongoing basis and will be considered as vacancies arise. The National Institute of Standards and Technology will provide administrative support to the committee. Details for submitting nominations are included in the Federal Register notice.

Joint Press Statement from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders

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The U.S. Department of Commerce and the European Commission have initiated discussions to evaluate the potential for an enhanced EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework to comply with the July 16 judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the Schrems II case. This judgment declared that this framework is no longer a valid mechanism to transfer personal data from the European Union to the United States.

The European Union and the United States recognize the vital importance of data protection and the significance of cross-border data transfers to our citizens and economies. We share a commitment to privacy and the rule of law, and to further deepening our economic relationship, and have collaborated on these matters for several decades.

As we face new challenges together, including the recovery of the global economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, our partnership will strengthen data protection and promote greater prosperity for our nearly 800 million citizens on both sides of the Atlantic.

Commerce Clears Way for U.S. Companies to More Fully Engage in Tech Standards-Development Bodies

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U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced a new rule today ensuring U.S. industry’s ability to more fully contribute to standards-development activities in the telecommunications sector. International standards serve as the critical building blocks for technological development by enabling functionality, interoperability, and safety. U.S. participation and leadership in standard-setting influences the future of 5G, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, and other cutting-edge technologies.

“The United States will not cede leadership in global innovation. This action recognizes the importance of harnessing American ingenuity to advance and protect our economic and national security,” said U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. “The Department is committed to protecting U.S. national security and foreign policy interests by encouraging U.S. industry to fully engage and advocate for U.S. technologies to become international standards.”

This action is meant to ensure Huawei’s placement on the Entity List in May 2019 does not prevent American companies from contributing to important standards-developing activities despite Huawei’s pervasive participation in standards-development organizations.

Under the new Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) rule, technology that would not have required a license to be disclosed to Huawei before the company’s placement on the Entity List can be disclosed for the purpose of standards development in a standards-development body without need for an export license. In amending the Huawei Entity Listing, the rule promotes U.S. national security and foreign policy interests by facilitating U.S. leadership in standards-development bodies.

The general advisory opinion posted by BIS on August 19, 2019, is no longer in effect. The Department will continue to engage with stakeholders and take the actions necessary in the interest of U.S. national security and foreign policy.

Background:

• In 2019, BIS added Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd and its foreign affiliates (collectively, “Huawei”) to the Entity List under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) because Huawei posed a significant risk of involvement in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.

• Sent to the Federal Register on Friday, June 12, the action authorizes the release of U.S. technology designated as EAR99 or controlled only for Anti-Terrorism reasons on the Commerce Control List without a license, in the context of “voluntary consensus standards bodies” of which Huawei is a participant, for the purpose of contributing to the revision or development of a “standard,” as defined in Office of Management and Budget Circular A-119 (Rev. 2016).

The rule returns U.S. industry to the status quo ante, from an Entity List perspective, with respect to disclosures of such technology to Huawei and its affiliates in legitimate standards development contexts only, and not for commercial purposes. Disclosures for commercial purposes remain “subject to the EAR” and are still subject to recordkeeping and all other applicable EAR requirements.

DOC Issues Expected Final 90-Day Extension of Temporary General License Authorizations

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The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today it is extending the terms of the existing Temporary General License (TGL) authorizations for Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and its non-U.S. affiliates (Huawei) on the Entity List for 90 days. The terms and duration of any future general licenses will be announced prior to the expiration of this 90-day time period.

This announcement follows public comments received from numerous companies, associations, and individuals about the TGL. The Department continues to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of companies and individuals that have not yet transitioned from Huawei equipment.

The 90-day extension provides an opportunity for users of Huawei devices and telecommunication providers—particularly those in rural U.S. communities—to continue to temporarily operate such devices and existing networks while hastening the transition to alternative suppliers.

In announcing this extension, the Department is also notifying the public that activities authorized in the TGL may be revised and possibly eliminated after August 13, 2020. Companies and persons relying on TGL authorizations should begin preparations to determine the specific, quantifiable impact of elimination if they have not done so already. Those companies and persons should be prepared to submit license applications to the Department to determine which, if any, activities will be authorized in the event that their TGL authorization is eliminated. The Department will provide prior notice via the Federal Register of a need to submit such applications.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department of Commerce is responsible for overseeing these export control activities. BIS’s mission is to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system and promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership. BIS is committed to restricting U.S.-origin commodities and technology from use in support of Weapons of Mass Destruction projects, terrorism, or destabilizing military modernization programs.

Department of Commerce Renews Temporary General License for 45 Days

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Today, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce announced it was extending a Temporary General License (TGL) for Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and its non-U.S. affiliates on the Entity List for an additional 45 days.  The TGL was implemented as a measure to prevent interruption of existing network communication systems in rural U.S. regions and permit global network security measures.  The TGL is intended to allow time for companies and persons to shift to alternative sources of equipment, software and technology (i.e., those not produced by Huawei or one of its listed affiliates).  

The 45-day extension is necessary to allow existing telecommunication providers—particularly those in rural U.S. communities—the ability to continue to temporarily and securely operate existing networks while they identify alternatives to Huawei for future operation.  American technology should not be acquired by Huawei and its foreign affiliates and used in a manner that undermines U.S. national security or foreign policy interests.  During the next 45 days, the Department intends to determine the need for any future extensions of the TGL. 

The TGL amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to authorize specific, limited engagement in transactions involving the export, reexport, and transfer of items subject to the EAR to Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and non-U.S. affiliates on the Entity List until April 1, 2020.  

Huawei was added to the Entity List after the U.S. government concluded the company poses a significant risk of involvement in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States, including, by engaging, among other things, in alleged violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), conspiracy to violate IEEPA by providing prohibited financial services to Iran, and obstruction of justice in connection with the investigation of those alleged violations of U.S. sanctions, among other illicit activities, including charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering activities announced by the Department of Justice today.

The Bureau of Industry and Security’s mission is to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system and promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership. BIS is committed to preventing U.S.-origin items from supporting Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) projects, terrorism, or destabilizing military modernization programs. 

Upcoming Event: Discover Global Markets

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Indo-Pacific
Opportunities at the Convergence of Aerospace + Defense + Security
Dec. 10-12, 2018 | Salt Lake City, UT

About Discover Global Markets

Discover Global Markets is the U.S. Department of Commerce’s flagship event series for U.S. exporters.

In just a few days, attendees will uncover new exporting opportunities, learn from seasoned exporters, and connect with hundreds of networking contacts.

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At Each Discover Global Markets Conference, you will:

  • Meet one-on-one with U.S. Commercial Diplomats visiting from abroad
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U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross Announces FirstNet Public-Private Partnership

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March 30, 2017, the Department of Commerce and First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) announced the selection of AT&T to build the first nationwide wireless broadband network dedicated to America’s first responders. Speakers at the announcement event included Secretary Wilbur Ross, Congressman Greg Walden, Congresswoman Susan Brooks, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, FirstNet board bmembers, and public safety officers and first responders.