Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. America Competes Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I am very proud of the efforts that have been made by the House to advance COMPETES, an act that is about investment; a bipartisan effort promoted with higher prioritization by the leadership of this House to address investment: investment in research, investment in workforce, investment in manufacturing.

It is so important that we are now investing in research as the COMPETES Act requires so that we create the next generation of product line and chips. It is important to invest in that pipeline of workers that will have those precision-oriented skills in an innovation economy that requires such precision. It is important that we retrofit our manufacturing centers so as to compete and compete effectively.

I am impressed by the fact that we have taken the strengths of so many committees and brought them into the forefront of COMPETES to make certain that we invest in the CHIPS for America Act. I have industries for microelectronics, and certainly the semiconductor industry that are hosted in the 20th Congressional District that I am honored to represent. They deserve and they require, more importantly, a partnership with the Federal Government. Those resources will be there with the passage of this bill as we bring together a consensus.

We will invest in that $52 billion worth of investment for the chips industry, the CHIPS for America Act. We will make certain that a bill that I authored, the Micro Act, is incorporated in the context of COMPETES, and that will complement the provisions in CHIPS by making certain that we accelerate early stage microelectronics research to feed into the national semiconductor technology center.

It is so important to have that cutting-edge investment so that we can lead the world in innovation, and making certain also that we promote strong global leadership by positioning the interests and the values of our United States, not China, to win on the world stage, including with strong action to hold the PRC accountable for its trade abuses which hurt U.S. workers, and for its human rights violations.

The America COMPETES Act will elevate American leadership in the global arena, putting diplomacy first, strengthening our alliances, combating unfair trade practices, and standing up for our national values.

The COMPETES Act ensures that American goods are made in America by American workers and boosts competition addressing supply bottlenecks, strengthening U.S. manufacturing, and lowering those kitchen table costs.

This is a measure that is all-inclusive. It is the boldest, strongest statement on competitiveness for America. It is the great strength of COMPETES that I hope will carry us now into an innovation economy with the workforce prepared to go, a research investment that gives us the vision and tethers that vision into future product lines and chips development, and that will allow for us to strengthen our manufacturing partnership. They require that assistance and they require our partnership.

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