Commerce, science and transportation committee, topics included critical mineral supply chains, manufacturing of Semiconductor Chips, workforce shortages and Rural Broadband access. The hearing runs two hours and 40 minutes. [inaudible conversations] good afternoon, the Senate Commerce committee will come to order. I think my colleagues who have been in this room for many hours already today doing double duty today on aviation hearing and very important conversation about the chips in science act, which are committee played a big role in, needless to say are committee has been working diligently on a lot of transformational policy but while we are waiting for our colleague here i think i will thank senator wicker again for his work on chips in science act. People may not remember but this committee, dont know how many were processed. It was in the hundreds. Might have been in the 300s but i definitely believe a regular order process is good for the institution, good for the debate abou
Prospect. A month after i became majority leader i direct canned the chairs and members of our relevant committees to start drafting a package to create new american jobs with the endless frontier act serving as the core of this earth. I also this effort. I also said to everyone, to people on both sides of the aisle, that if both sides worked together, id put a bill on the floor of the senate later that spring, and thats what happened when we overwhelmingly passed the act in june of 2021. It took three weeks, lots of debate, amendments. Just as the senate ought to work even on major and difficult legislation, as this has been. Senators cantwell and wicker were tremendous leaders in this effort and skillfully managed the floor process. They deserve a great deal of praise not only for passing last years bill, but for their efforts this year as well. A year later the legislation were passing today contains many of the critical investments in that bill. Both bills make historic investments
When it comes to america, i am an optimist. I cant help but approach the future with great hope. After all, as americans, weve never let obstacles stand in our way or accepted that problems cant be solved, nor citizens the w most ingenious. Our military, its mightiest, the economy the strongest and innovators theov most creative. The last century was defined by how our accomplishments andad ot ideals. Global rivals who dont share our values or our economic interests. Right now, we are in the middle of a Great Power Competition with an authoritarian regime in beijing that seeks global primacy and rejects democracy. The Chinese Communist party is currently investing 1. 4 trillion in frontier technologies that will dominate the 21st century. Artificial intelligence, quantum computing, hypersonics among other key technologies. Innovators are earning patents and Publishing Research and ai at greater rates than our own and schools are producing four times the graduates as americas and the Ch
Every industry and increased cost for every americans, from cell phones, cars, televisions, even refrigerators and washing machines, products we need every day and using computer chips to function. The medical equipment at our hospitals and the Technology Used by our military. This is why the computer chip shortage were facing is a critical, economic and National Security issue. Its caused prices to rise, and limited the availability of many products, something that anyone who has tried to buy or meant a car over the past couple of years knows all too well. This shortage is directly impacting hardworking families and the businesses that support jobs across our nation. Its companies that are employed in my state of nevada which uses computer chips to manufacture cancerfighting and other critical medical technologies. This shortage, this shortage is impacting lives and livelihoods. For decades, america was a Global Leader in manufacturing and innovation, but over the years, we outsourced
While neglecting the eternal. May our senators live lives that bring glory and honor to your name, receiving your approbation for their faithfulness. Create in them humble and contrite hearts that will refuse to deviate from the path of integrity. And, lord, we continue to pray for ukraine. We pray in your merciful and powerful name. Amen. The presiding officer please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The presiding officer the clerk will read a communication to the senate. The clerk washington d. C. , july 27, 2022. To the senate under the provisions of rule 1, paragraph 3, of the standing rules of the senate, i hereby appoint the honorable sherrod brown, a senator from the state of ohio, to perform the duties of the chair. Signed patrick j. Leahy, president pro tempore. The presiding offic