President Joe Biden has signed into law the Building Chips in America Act of 2023, which seeks to simplify the national government’s permitting procedures for microchip manufacturing projects.
The legislation intends to eliminate delays in constructing microchip manufacturing facilities supported by the CHIPS and Science Act, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said in a Wednesday statement.
In a release announcing the enactment, the White House noted that the bill would exempt specific semiconductor production projects from environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
According to Kelly, the new law will prevent delays in building microchip factories to ensure that semiconductor manufacturing will return to the United States.
The senator added the legislation would support thousands of high-paying jobs and reduce the United States’ “reliance on foreign supply chains for this critical technology.”
Kelly introduced the bill in July 2023 and garnered enough bilateral support from senators for its eventual passage in December.
Last week, the House of Representatives approved the measure, allowing it to reach the president’s desk.