Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1509873
68 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2023 3. The CHIPS Act is a catalyst for change. Last year, Congress passed the landmark bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act and laid the groundwork for America to reclaim ground lost in the semiconductor industry over the past 20 years. While a tremendous start, the CHIPS program does not address everything chips need to function. Without investing in the whole ecosystem, we remain danger- ously dependent on other nations—some less friendly than others—for the advanced pack- aging, substrates, and printed circuit boards that every chip needs to function. e lesson of the CHIPS Act must be that our industry can't wait for a lifeline or lawmaker benevo- lence. We must raise our voices and advocate for the legislation and public policy solutions we need. 4. Our "Educate, Advocate, and Legislate" mission has a long way to go. America's continued reliance on overseas manufacturing for PCBs has arisen because we failed to appreciate the economic and national security reasons for maintaining a domes- tic manufacturing base. e recent pandemic made clear the risks of foreign dependence, but not as obvious was how deep the problem runs. Our team will keep meeting with law- makers until everyone in government under- stands that "chips don't float." As we head into a critical election year, there are reasons to be optimistic. We launched our coalition with only five founding members. is month we approach having 40 compa- nies and individuals representing all aspects of our industry. Our public education campaigns and advocacy efforts in the halls of Congress continue to pay off. For example, the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act contains language that enhances America's national security by promoting the domestic produc- tion of critical microelectronics. I am proud of all that we have accomplished, while acknowledging that much remains to be done. As I oen tell policymakers in Wash- ington: Because offshoring and consolidation took nearly three decades to hollow out Amer- ica's PCB industry, we will not restore it to full capacity overnight. We measure our progress with every lawmaker we educate, every new co-sponsor, every journalist we speak with, and every new company that joins our team. Together we will rebuild American microelec- tronics manufacturing. e PCBAA fights every day for a level play- ing field on which U.S. PCB and substrate manufacturers can compete and win. If you're interested in joining our effort, please visit us online or contact me directly. PCB007 Travis Kelly is CEO is Isola- Group and current chairman of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America. To read past columns, click here.