Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a comprehensive report calling for strong federal action in response to the semiconductor shortage

In Spring 2021, Senator Reverend Warnock asked the GAO for a report on policy responses to semiconductor shortages

The report, which interviewed 17 experts, calls for increasing domestic manufacturing capacity and supply chain resiliency, along with other recommendations

The report mirrors the priorities of Senator Reverend Warnock, who as a member of the legislation’s conference committee, prioritized for investments in domestic chip manufacturing and supply chain resiliency

Senator Reverend Warnock: “Semiconductor shortages are hurting our economy, raising costs, and weakening our national security.”

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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, applauded the release of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report calling for strong federal action in response to the semiconductor shortage. In Spring 2021, Senator Reverend Warnock asked the GAO for a report on policy responses to semiconductor shortages. The report, which interviewed 17 experts, calls for increasing domestic manufacturing capacity and supply chain resiliency, along with other recommendations. The report mirrors the priorities of Senator Reverend Warnock, who as a member of the conference committee, prioritized for investments in domestic manufacturing and supply chain resiliency.

“Today’s report confirms what we already know,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.“Semiconductor shortages are hurting our economy, raising costs, and weakening our national security. I applaud the Government Accountability Office for this thorough and thoughtful report. I’m pleased to see that many of their policy recommendations are included in the jobs and competition bill that I am shepherding over the finish line this week.”

The report recommended five policy areas which could improve semiconductor supply chain risks:

1. Manufacturing Capacity 
2. The report calls for providing financial incentives and streamlining permitting processes to increase domestic manufacturing capacity
3. Supply Chain Strengthening
4. The report calls for enhancing security and conducting more robust monitoring to help strengthen the supply chain
5. Research and Development
6. The report calls for bolstering domestic research and development efforts to help the U.S. maintain its technology leadership and enable more commercialization
7. Workforce Development
8. The report calls for focusing on training programs and immigration reform to help prepare for future work development needs
9. International Coordination
10. The report calls for working with international partners to help the U.S. improve global supply chain resilience

For over a year, Senator Warnock has been a strong advocate for increasing American semiconductor manufacturing, recently pushing Senate leadership to put partisan politics aside and get the bipartisan jobs and competing bill past the finish line. Senator Warnock has worked tirelessly to strengthen chip manufacturing in the United States, including his leadership on to help prevent future chip shortages; the lack of domestic semiconductors has previously led to harmful work stoppages at Hyundai’s Kia plant in West Point, GA. The Senator successfully pushed for major domestic manufacturing investments in semiconductors at the federal level, a cause he has championed as a member of the Senate Commerce Committee.

The GAO Semiconductor Shortage report can be found HERE. 

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