Casey, Colleagues Push for Semiconductor Manufacturing Hub Led by Penn State

MASH DTI is a groundbreaking, job generating collaboration to drive semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing

Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. leadership in global semiconductor manufacturing

Producing chips in the U.S. benefits workers in industries that rely on semiconductors, from autoworkers to health care workers

Members: "We are eager to continue to support and uplift the role that the Commonwealth will play in advancing American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing. […] Under Penn State's leadership, MASH is in a strong position to successfully serve as the CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute"

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led a bipartisan, bicameral group of his colleagues in urging U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to expand semiconductor innovation, education, and manufacturing by investing in the Penn State led Mid-Atlantic Semiconductor Hub (MASH) Digital Twin Institute (DTI). In a letter, the Members of Congress pushed for MASH DTI to become the CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute, a new funding opportunity created by the CHIPS and Science Act. The Penn State-led consortium will bring together a diverse coalition of experts and critical stakeholders that will strengthen domestic semiconductor production, support the economy, and bring forward next-generation technology.

"Given Pennsylvania's long history in manufacturing, science, and technology, we are eager to continue to support and uplift the role that the Commonwealth will play in advancing American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and technology. When given a fair shot, American workers can outcompete anyone in the world," the Members wrote. "We believe that, under Penn State's leadership, MASH is in a strong position to successfully serve as the CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute."

Senator Casey worked to pass the CHIPS and Science Actto produce semiconductors in the United States, reducing the Nation's reliance on foreign adversaries, including China, for critical technology manufacturing. The new CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute was made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act and focuses on the production of digital twin technology for semiconductors, which allow for research conducted digitally: speeding innovation, reducing research and development costs, and allowing for nationwide collaboration between experts.

MASH DTI will be the world's first distributed semiconductor network, creating a nationwide program for education, research, and workforce development to meet the needs of the semiconductor industry. The network has major nodes at Penn State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Arizona State University. The Institute has also assembled a wide-reaching team of experts including academic leaders, national labs, and workforce development and industry partners. MASH's proposal will not only lead the world in digital semiconductor innovation, but it will also create job opportunities where the research hubs are located.

In addition to Senator Casey, the letter is signed by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8), U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), and U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6), Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), Glenn "GT" Thompson (R-PA-15), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Susan Wild (D-PA-7), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10), Grace Meng (D-NY-6), and Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D-DE At-large District), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), Dan Meuser (R-PA-9), John Joyce (R-PA-13), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4), and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-6).

Full text of the letter is below and the signed PDF is HERE.

Dear Secretary Raimondo,

We write in support of the Mid-Atlantic Semiconductor Hub (MASH) Digital Twin Institute (DTI) full application for the Department of Commerce's CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute Competition. We urge you to give this application full and fair consideration.

Keeping the United States at the vanguard of technological innovation requires smart federal investments in the technology of tomorrow. These critical investments, historically made in institutions like the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have led to scientific breakthroughs that reshaped the American way of life and drove the global competitiveness of American businesses. In 2022, Congress turned its focus to the semiconductor industry and the intense global competition taking place to innovate into the future. Recognizing that this industry provided the building blocks for American technology and therefore both American security and economic might, Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act, which made sweeping investments in the semiconductor supply chain, from deep research to final production.

The MASH proposal matches unparalleled expertise and potential with existing capacity. MASH's proposal would build upon the coalition's existing digital twin expertise to foster innovation and help manufacturers get their products to the market more quickly. Additionally, the coalition will undergo coordinated collaboration to support a skilled, diverse workforce, with programs spanning as young as elementary school age to professionals already in the workforce. Creating opportunities that can be met with a wide range of skills and backgrounds is necessary for the Nation to increase its competitiveness in the semiconductor industry and to support the communities where these efforts are located. This proposal shows strong potential for supporting the reshoring of semiconductor production, thereby increasing both our national security and global competitiveness.

In the region, we have seen exciting progress in the semiconductor industry following passage of the CHIPS and Science Act in 2022. Given Pennsylvania's long history in manufacturing, science, and technology, we are eager to continue to support and uplift the role that the Commonwealth will play in advancing American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and technology. When given a fair shot, American workers can outcompete anyone in the world. In particular, we are pleased to see that Pennsylvania-including the workforce, companies, and world class universities therein-is central to the MASH DTI proposal. We believe that, under Penn State's leadership, MASH is in a strong position to successfully serve as the CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute.

Thank you in advance for consideration. Please include this letter in the official record of the application. Consistent with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, we also respectfully request that you keep us informed of the status of this application. Finally, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact Senator Casey's staff at (202) 224-6324.

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