Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America Act or the CHIPS for America Act

This bill establishes investments and incentives to support U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, research and development, and supply chain security.

Specifically, the bill provides an income tax credit for semiconductor equipment or manufacturing facility investment through 2026. The bill also establishes a trust fund to be allocated upon reaching an agreement with foreign government partners to promote (1) consistency in policies related to microelectronics, (2) transparency in microelectronic supply chains, and (3) alignment in policies towards nonmarket economies.

The Department of Commerce shall, through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), carry out a program of research and development investment to accelerate the design, development, and manufacturability of next generation microelectronics, including through the creation of a Manufacturing USA institute for semiconductor manufacturing. Commerce shall also establish a program to match state and local government incentives offered to private entities for the purposes of building fabrication facilities relating to semiconductor manufacturing. Further, Commerce shall assess the capabilities of the U.S. industrial base to support the national defense in light of the global nature of supply chains and interdependencies between the industrial bases of the U.S. and foreign countries with respect to the manufacture and design of semiconductors.

The Department of Defense shall prioritize the use of specified available amounts for programs, projects, and activities in connection with semiconductor and related technologies.

The President shall establish within NIST a subcommittee on matters relating to U.S. leadership in semiconductor technology and innovation, which shall develop a national strategy on semiconductor research.