WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The House on Thursday passed a to boost the and scientific research in a bid to create more high-tech jobs in the United States and help it better compete with international rivals, namely China.
The House approved the bill by a solid margin of 243-187, sending the measure to to be signed into law and providing the White House with a major domestic policy victory. About two-dozen Republicans voted for the legislation.
"My plea is put politics aside. Get it done,鈥� Biden said before the vote, adding it would give the U.S. 鈥渢he ability not only to compete with China for the future, but to lead the world and win the economic competition of the 21st century.鈥�
Republicans argued the government should not spend billions to and GOP leadership in the House recommended a vote against the bill, telling members the plan would provide enormous subsidies and tax credits "to a specific industry that does not need additional government handouts.鈥�
Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., said the way to help the industry would be through tax cuts and easing federal regulations, 鈥渘ot by picking winners and losers鈥� with subsidies 鈥� an approach that Rep. Joseph Morelle, D-N.Y., said was too narrow.
鈥淭his affects every industry in the United States," Morelle said. 鈥淭ake, for example, General Motors announcing they have 95,000 automobiles awaiting chips. So, you want to increase the supply of goods to people and help bring down inflation? This is about increasing the supply of goods all over the United States in every single industry.鈥�
Some Republicans viewed passing the legislation as important for national security. Rep. Mike McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was critical to protect semiconductor capacity in the U.S., which he said was too reliant on Taiwan for the most advanced chips. That could prove to be a major vulnerability should China try to take over the self-governing island that Beijing views as a breakaway province
鈥淚've got a unique insight in this. I get the classified briefing. Not all these members do," McCaul said. 鈥淭his is vitally important for our national security."
The bill provides more than $52 billion in grants and other incentives for the semiconductor industry as well as a 25% tax credit for those companies that invest in chip plants in the U.S. It calls for increased spending on various research programs that would total about $200 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
鈥� progress announced by Wednesday night by Democrats on a $739 billion health and climate change package 鈥� threatened to make it harder for supporters to get the semiconductor bill over the finish line, based on concerns about government spending.
Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said he was 鈥渄isgusted" by the turn of events on Capitol Hill.
Despite bipartisan support for the research initiatives, 鈥渞egrettably, and it's more regrettably than you can possibly imagine, I will not be casting my vote for the chips and science act today."
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Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
Kevin Freking, The Associated Press
