Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1540425
22 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2025 calls to action that industry members should be aware of, and what should they be doing? You're absolutely right. What we're going for helps many folks in the microelectronics space directly and indirectly. A rising tide will lift all boats. So, if you are in the test business, the critical minerals or refined materials business, the assembly business, the board business, the test business, any of these sectors—a robust and healthy American PCB indus- try is good for your bottom line. You look at our membership from five to 75 mem- bers in four years, the reason for that and the diver- sity of our membership, the fact that we're putting a lot of dots on the map all over the country is because folks say, "Hey, if the American market is strong, my market is strong, if the American market is sustain- able, my business in North America is sustainable." Of course, we want people on our team, and join- ing is easy and beneficial. But we want them writing letters, coming to Washington, hosting members of Congress at their facility. As I'm here in North- ern California this week visiting our members, I'm so impressed at the manufacturing operations, and the question I always ask is, "Has your mayor, the county commissioner, your senator, your governor walked through this facility and seen that we still do manufacturing in America? To see that you're supporting the F-35 program, the Columbia class submarine, whatever it might be?" Too often, the answer is no. Part of my mandate and mission is to get those elected officials out to do those plant tours, and then they become our advocates at the State House and in Washington. PCBAA will help facilitate that? Absolutely. If you are scared about Washington, or intimidated about having a member of Congress walk through your facility, we will hold your hand and make that a beneficial visit for you. Okay. I want to end on what I consider a pos- itive note. Before you and I started chatting for- mally, we were chatting informally, and I want you to restate some of what you said to me. I know there's a tremendous amount of frustration, cer- tainly from outside perception about the lack of Washington, and almost every sector, to be able to get anything done. Yet there is a reality of the people working on the Hill, and some of the peo- ple that you interface with regularly. So, can you just recount what you were saying? Sure. If you're running a business, shipping prod- uct, or providing critical electronics solutions, and turn on the news, open the paper, or go online, your impression of Washington, of course, is neg- ative because you see people with extreme posi- tions screaming into the microphone. I want to rein- force that that's not who we are working with. There is a moderate, reasonable group of people on both sides of the aisle who want to see American manu- facturing restored, want America competing on the global stage, and want us trusting our electronics. Those people, Republicans and Democrats, are working with PCBAA, Global Electronics Associa- tion, and anybody at the table to affect real change. That's how the CHIPS Act got done. It's how our bill, HR 3597, is going to move forward. It's how the Pen- tagon is going to invest. I would just ask you to remain optimistic. Keep your head down, keep building great products, and we'll keep advocating for you in Washington. That's a great place to end. David, always good to talk to you. David Schild of PCBAA here at PCB West in Santa Clara, California. Thank you for the work that you're doing and continuing to do. PCB007 U.S . C o n g re s s m a n B l a ke M o o re, p r i m a r y s p o n s o r of t h e STA R Act of 2 0 2 5 ▼