Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1540425
OCTOBER 2025 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 21 hopeful that this will be a short shutdown and we'll get back to the business of governing. On the optimism side, I would say that the issues that we're all concerned about—industrial pol- icy, competition with China, restoring and reshor- ing American manufacturing capacity—are some- what evergreen. We are in this golden age, "I want to see more things made in America. I want more of the electronics side to be trusted and secured, and domestically sourced. I want to compete on the global stage. I don't want all of our manufacturing capacity to go fallow." So, while this is a temporary problem, I think the attitude in Washington of, "Hey, we need to make more things. We need to build up on industrial capacity," is still there. I agree. I guess that consistent thread is definitely helpful in continuing to carry the mantle. I would like to ask you about demand signal. We talk about the microelectronics supply chain. In addi- tion to defense and security, what we've labeled national security-type items, we're really getting more into talking about critical infrastructure and that there's a lot more at stake than just what is very apparently defense-related. So, in that situation, how do you see—maybe a model or messaging in what you're starting to talk about—how the U.S. government will help to ensure that there is demand for these companies that are looking to make these huge investments, even if it is somewhat subsidized? We saw with the CHIPS Act that the $52 billion in government money was matched and exceeded largely by almost $462 billion to date, in private money. We believe that when Uncle Sam backs an industry, Wall Street private equity takes that as a signal. How can we make a similar investment, a similar backing of the printed circuit board industry? Well, there are a couple of things we can do. You talk about critical infrastructure. In the United States, most of the PCB work that remains is defense and aerospace-oriented. That's because ITAR restric- tions mandate that the work be done domestically. I talk about ITAR like a tall fence around a small yard. It is marquee defense programs that we're all famil- iar with, but let's think more broadly about critical infrastructure. Do we want our water and power grid, banking servers, medical devices, and tele- communications infrastructure populated with for- eign microelectronics? I asked that question on Capitol Hill and the answer, Marcy, is always, "No, I don't want that. I want that stuff made in America." Well, I've got bad news for you about where it's made today. The gov- ernment absolutely can put up some guardrails. It can institute government purchasing rules, domes- tic sourcing requirements, and that would create a demand signal overnight. If we said 5G telecommunications needed to be populated with American printed circuit boards, there would be a commercial demand signal over- night if we built out the next generation of air traf- fic control systems. With American-made printed cir- cuit boards, there will be a need for huge commercial lines. So, there are actions the government can take. We just need the executive branch and Congress to work together to come up with those rules. Of course, we need to work with the OEMs and the primes just to make sure the implementation sched- ule is realistic and that they can pivot out of their existing Asian supply chains. I think many people want to diversify their man- ufacturing. They want to source all over the world, but right now, six out of 10 boards are from mainland China, nine out of 10 boards from Asia. The options simply aren't there. We need to make it work for your bottom line, and we need to create rules that slowly but surely, reshore production. This is obviously a critical issue. You guys are doing amazing work. I know you're also working with the Global Electronics Association advocacy as well. What are the things that industry members should be doing, like talking to congressmen, signing let- ters, becoming PCBAA members? What are some