SEMI Applauds New Senate Bill To Clarify US Chips Act

SEMI announced support of the Strengthening Essential Manufacturing and Industrial Investment Act (SEMI Investment Act), which clarifies that critical materials suppliers to semiconductor manufacturers are eligible for the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit (Section 48D) created by the United States CHIPS and Science Act.

Introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Chris Coons (D-DE), the SEMI Investment Act would help make semiconductor materials an equal part of America’s investment in advanced semiconductors and contribute to a secure, domestic semiconductor supply chain.

“The investment tax credit is a critical tool to accelerate construction of the semiconductor ecosystem in the United States and may be the most powerful incentive to onshore critical technologies powering the AI revolution,” said Ajit Manocha, SEMI president and CEO.

“Materials manufacturing projects are equally critical to ensuring that leading-edge logic and memory products are available to fuel skyrocketing AI and high-performance computing demand across the world,” added Manocha. “The SEMI Investment Act will help ensure these critical projects get built in the United States. We are deeply grateful to Senators Blackburn, Bennet, Tillis and Coons for bringing this important legislation forward to clarify Congress’ original intent underlying Section 48D of the CHIPS and Science Act.”

The SEMI Investment Act amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify that 48D Tax Credit includes materials integral to the manufacturing of semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The bill will ensure that critical materials projects can access the same 25 percent investment tax credit that semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor manufacturing equipment projects have access to today.

“SEMI looks forward to working with Congress and the Trump Administration to pass the SEMI Investment Act into law,” said Manocha. “The bipartisan support for this legislation highlights it as a critical step for the U.S. to strengthen its semiconductor industry, national security, and economic competitiveness. Additionally, the act would help prevent vital materials companies from moving overseas and ensure that American manufacturers realize the benefits of the semiconductor incentives investment Congress originally intended under the CHIPS and Science Act. We also recognize the importance of ensuring these incentives are available for the duration needed to match the long-term nature of semiconductor investments.”