[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 27, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4527-H4529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PROTECTING SEMICONDUCTOR SUPPLY CHAIN MATERIALS FROM AUTHORITARIANS ACT

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 7372) to amend the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 to 
require the President to establish a semiconductor supply chain working 
group in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and submit reports 
to Congress on potential future disruptions to the supply chain.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7372

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Semiconductor 
     Supply Chain Materials from Authoritarians Act''.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE UKRAINE FREEDOM SUPPORT ACT OF 
                   2014.

       The Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 (22 U.S.C. 8921 et 
     seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating section 11 as section 13; and
       (2) by inserting after section 10 the following new 
     sections:

     ``SEC. 11. WORKING GROUP ON SEMICONDUCTOR SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS.

       ``(a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this section, the President shall establish 
     an interagency working group to address semiconductor supply 
     chain issues caused by the Russia's illegal and unprovoked 
     attack on Ukraine.
       ``(b) Membership.--The interagency working group 
     established pursuant to subsection (a) shall be comprised of 
     the head, or designee of the head, of each of the following:
       ``(1) The Department of State.
       ``(2) The Department of Defense.
       ``(3) The Department of Commerce.
       ``(4) The Department of the Treasury.
       ``(5) The Office of the United States Trade Representative.
       ``(6) The Department of Interior.
       ``(7) The Department of Energy.
       ``(8) The Department of Homeland Security.
       ``(9) The Department of Labor.
       ``(10) Any other Federal department or agency the President 
     determines appropriate.
       ``(c) Chair.--The Secretary of State shall serve as the 
     chair of the working group established pursuant to subsection 
     (a).

     ``SEC. 12. REPORTS ON SEMICONDUCTOR SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS.

       ``(a) Report on Impact of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine.--
     Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this section, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
     committees listed in subsection (b) a report of the 
     interagency working group that--
       ``(1) reviews and analyzes--
       ``(A) the impact of Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine 
     on the supply of palladium, neon gas, helium, and 
     hexafluorobutadiene (C4F6); and
       ``(B) the impact, if any, on supply chains and the global 
     economy;
       ``(2) recounts diplomatic efforts by the United States to 
     work with other countries that mine, synthesize, or purify 
     palladium, neon gas, helium, or hexafluorobutadiene (C4F6);
       ``(3) quantifies the actions resulting from these efforts 
     to diversify sources of supply of these items;

[[Page H4528]]

       ``(4) sets forth steps the United States has taken to 
     bolster its production or secure supply of palladium or other 
     compounds and elements listed in paragraph (1)(A);
       ``(5) lists any other important elements, compounds, or 
     products in the semiconductor supply chain that have been 
     affected by Russia's illegal attack on Ukraine; and
       ``(6) recommends any potential legislative steps that could 
     be taken by Congress to further bolster the supply of 
     elements, compounds, or products for the semiconductor supply 
     chain that have been curtailed as a result of Russia's 
     actions.
       ``(b) Committees Listed.--The committees listed in this 
     subsection are--
       ``(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
     Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and
       ``(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee 
     on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.
       ``(c) Annual Report on Potential Future Shocks to 
     Semiconductor Supply Chains.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter for 
     5 years, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee 
     on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report of the 
     interagency working group that--
       ``(A) outlines and plans for the most likely future 
     geopolitical developments that could severely disrupt global 
     semiconductor supply chains in ways that could harm the 
     national security or economic interests of the United States;
       ``(B) forecasts the various potential impacts on the global 
     supply chain for semiconductors, and products that use 
     semiconductors, from the developments outlined pursuant to 
     subparagraph (A), as well as the following contingencies--
       ``(i) an invasion of Taiwan or geopolitical instability or 
     conflict in East Asia;
       ``(ii) a broader war or geopolitical instability in Europe;
       ``(iii) strategic competitors dominating parts of the 
     supply chain and leveraging that dominance coercively;
       ``(iv) a future international health crisis; and
       ``(v) natural disasters or shortages of natural resources 
     and raw materials;
       ``(C) describes the kind of continency plans that would be 
     needed for the safe evacuation of individuals with deep 
     scientific and technical knowledge of semiconductors and 
     their supply chain from areas under risk from conflict or 
     natural disaster; and
       ``(D) evaluates the current technical and supply chain work 
     force expertise within the Federal government to carry out 
     these assessments.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
Wilson) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 7372.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7372, the Protecting 
Semiconductor Supply Chain Materials from Authoritarians Act.
  The pandemic has exposed how intricate, how fragile, and how 
globalized supply chains are in 2022. Many of the products our families 
know and use every day, whether it is our cars, our computers, our 
smartphones, or our refrigerators, are the products of complex 
components assembled all around the globe. Semiconductors are a prime 
example, as they power just about every electronic device in existence.
  America is the global leader in semiconductors because our 
semiconductor design companies are the global leaders. No country is 
capable of making advanced semiconductors without American innovation 
and know-how.
  But we are also reliant on other nations that are a part of the 
semiconductor supply chain. Ukraine and Russia are crucial providers of 
important compounds and elements that are necessary for their 
production, including palladium, neon gas, helium, and C4F6. Without 
these gases, many types of semiconductors cannot be produced. Most 
chip-making companies had a little extra supply of these products 
before Putin started his immoral, unjustifiable invasion, but these 
stores are quickly dwindling.
  This bill directs the President to quickly address this problem and 
forces the administration to work with our allies and partners to ramp 
up production of these key elements and compounds. It also asks the 
administration to look ahead to future geopolitical threats and analyze 
how we can prepare for potential instability down the road.
  I thank Representative Titus for her work on this important bill and 
for working in a bipartisan way with Representative Meijer.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this valuable 
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Protecting Semiconductor 
Supply Chain Materials from Authoritarians Act.
  H.R. 7372 would set up a high-level interagency task force to make 
sure that we have a whole-of-government effort to anticipate and 
respond to the impacts on the supply chain for semiconductors.
  The semiconductor supply chain has long been under strain, which has 
only been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. On top of that, the war 
criminal Putin's invasion of Ukraine has only added to the problem. It 
has interrupted critical inputs into the semiconductor supply chain, 
such as palladium, neon gas, and helium.
  While it certainly is important to know the impacts on this critical 
supply chain caused by Russia's invasion, the United States must take a 
holistic approach and work with our allies and partners to strengthen 
the entire semiconductor supply chain and protect it from being 
dominated by the Chinese Communist Party.
  I am pleased that this bill also requires forward-looking assessments 
to understand the impact to the supply chain by a possible invasion of 
Taiwan, a courageous beacon of democracy in the East that manufactures 
90 percent of advanced logic semiconductors.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer).
  Mr. MEIJER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7372, 
the Protecting Semiconductor Supply Chain Materials from Authoritarians 
Act.
  This bill, which I helped introduce with Representative Titus, is an 
incredibly timely bill and focuses on two of the most pressing issues 
today: the war in Ukraine and our semiconductor supply chain shortages.
  Over the past 2 years, we have seen unprecedented challenges to our 
supply chain. The current war in Ukraine has exacerbated each and every 
one of these challenges, threatening our supply of critical minerals, 
including the supply for semiconductors.

                              {time}  1315

  From cell phones and cars to medical devices, we all know the 
integral role that semiconductors play in our everyday lives. My home 
State of Michigan knows all too well the challenges that the 
semiconductor shortage have created for our economy. A threat to our 
supply chains is a matter of both economic and national security, and 
we need a robust and coordinated response to any threats to our 
semiconductor supply chain. This bill offers just that.
  By establishing a working group focused specifically on the threats 
to our semiconductor supply chain as a result of Putin's illegal war of 
aggression in Ukraine, we can ensure that all available resources and 
expertise are being used to examine how our critical mineral supply is 
affected by the ongoing war. This legislation also examines how we can 
bolster our supply of critical minerals, as well as how we in Congress 
can offer legislative solutions to help support and strengthen our 
supply chains.
  We know now that our global supply chain is at a critical juncture, 
and if it can be disrupted for semiconductors, the threats will be 
endless to our economic and national security. This legislation allows 
us to take meaningful steps to identify how the ongoing war threatens 
the chain and what we can do to shore up our supply domestically.
  I want to thank the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus) for leading 
this effort, and I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.

[[Page H4529]]

  

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume to close.
  Mr. Speaker, the U.S. share of global semiconductor production has 
dropped from 37 percent in 1990 to 12 percent today, and it is 
projected to decline even further without a comprehensive U.S. strategy 
to support the industry.
  This bill is a small step in the right direction, but we must do more 
to ensure these vital supply chains for semiconductors. If we fail, the 
impacts to our economy and national security will be monumental.
  We are in a conflict of democracy with rule by law opposed by 
authoritarians of rule by gun.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
for the purpose of closing.
  H.R. 7372 is important legislation that will take practical steps to 
solve supply chain problems that would affect all Americans in a 
bipartisan way.
  This is exactly the type of work we were elected to do. I applaud the 
gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus) and the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Meijer) for their work on the Protecting Semiconductor Supply 
Chain Materials from Authoritarians Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7372.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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