IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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46 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2026 A M E R I CA N M A D E A DVO CACY BY S H A N E W H I T ES I D E , P C BA A A fter decades of being overshadowed by the semiconductor industry, PCBs are now in the spotlight. Legislators, policymakers, and the media are paying attention, and the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA) and our growing list of member companies have helped make it happen. Legislation In May, through PCBAA-led efforts, Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Jim Justice (R-WV) introduced S.4569, the Protecting Circuit Boards and Sub- strates Act, to incentivize domestic manufacturing of PCBs. The bill provides a 25% tax credit for the purchase or acquisition of American-made PCBs. This bill is a companion to H.R. 3597, the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act, which also pro- vides for a tax credit and a $3 billion grant program to support American PCB manufacturers. Media Attention The news media has discovered the critical role PCBs play in the technology stack in electronic de- vices powering everything from Apple devices to AI data centers. Reuters and Fox Business ran stories on PCBs in May, highlighting our reliance on foreign sources and how long, fragile supply chains can disrupt American manufacturing. Also in May, CNBC produced a documentary and filmed a TTM PCB facility in Santa Ana. The story includes interviews with TTM and Sanmina executives, PCBAA's executive director, past and present Pentagon officials, a Harvard Business School professor, and other subject matter experts. PCBs in the National Spotlight