Biz ‘Bite:’ Boise mayor, Micron CEO visit White House for legislation signing

Boise Mayor Lauren McLean will attend the signing of the bipartisan CHIPS Act by President Joe Biden on Aug. 9 in the Rose Garden at the White House. She will be joined by Boise-based Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra.

The act is named the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act of 2022. It passed Congress on July 28. The CHIPS legislation appropriates $54.2 billion to build and modernize the country’s mature semiconductor manufacturing facilities, fund semiconductor research and train the skilled workers needed to make the country self-sufficient in the manufacturing of semiconductors.

As the home of Micron, the program will benefit Boise and the surrounding Treasure Valley by helping to fund new chip manufacturing and research and create new jobs.

“I am thankful for the president’s commitment to advancing legislation that is critical to protecting our country’s economic health and security, as well as our city’s economic vitality, our leading industry and our workforce,” said McLean in a statement released on the morning of Aug. 8. “I’m proud to witness the signing of the bill with Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra and reaffirm our commitment to supporting homegrown innovation and investing in an economy that uplifts everyone in our community, family wage jobs and access to economic opportunity for all.”

Only 12% of chips are currently manufactured domestically, compared to 37% in the 1990s, and many foreign competitors, including China, are investing heavily to dominate the industry. The United States also lacks capabilities to produce the most advanced chips at volume. The CHIPS Act of 2022 intends to provide appropriations needed to implement the currently authorized programs from the bipartisan CHIPS for America Act. To ensure the Congressional goal of promoting domestic competitiveness, the act also includes safeguards to ensure that recipients of Federal funds from these programs cannot build advanced semiconductor production facilities in countries that present a national security concern.