On August 9, President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS Act) into law, allocating $280 billion in funding and tax incentives to boost domestic production and innovation in the semiconductor industry and broader science and technology-related industries. This bipartisan bill, which passed the Senate by a vote of 64-33, aims to make the United States more competitive with China in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) while addressing national security related to these emerging technologies. Passage of the bill was a result of months of negotiation after the House passed the America COMPETES Act (COMPETES) in February and the Senate passed the United States Innovation and Competitiveness Act (USICA) last summer.
Despite the original COMPETES bill containing language similar to the JOBS Act to expand the Pell grant to short-term certificate programs, lawmakers stripped the CHIPS Act of any provisions directly related to the Department of Education. It does, however, provide $81 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF) to address STEM education, workforce development and research. Additionally, it authorizes $2.23 for Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers to provide workforce development and other services for small to medium sized advanced manufacturers, and $200 million for a CHIPS for America Workforce and Education Fund to promote growth of the semiconductor workforce.
ACTE is continuing to analyze the provisions in the bill and will update you with any details that may directly impact CTE programs and learners. If you have any questions, please contact ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Zach Curtis ([email protected]).
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