Kia in Georgia announced temporary closure of West Point, GA plant on May 27 and 28 due to shortage of semiconductors
Bipartisan bill would help prevent future shortages and keep Georgia manufacturing plant open
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock today launched a push to expedite passage of legislation to boost American semiconductor manufacturing, as a shortage of the electronic components will result in the temporary closure of the Kia plant in West Point, Georgia, on May 27 and 28.
Semiconductors are vital to the approximately 340,000 Kia cars made in Georgia each year.
The United States is dangerously dependent on foreign suppliers of semiconductors, particularly from China, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further strained the global supply chain, leading to widespread delays and disruption of manufacturing.
“American dependence on foreign suppliers of semiconductors is a strategic vulnerability for both our national and economic security, and ongoing shortages of this vital technology are directly harming workers and businesses in Georgia by disrupting operations of the Kia plant in West Point,” Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock wrote in the letter.
“We must act swiftly and in a bipartisan manner to pass this legislation, which will boost American manufacturing of semiconductors and safeguard auto manufacturers like Kia Georgia against disruptions to the global supply chain. We urge that the Senate take immediate action,” they continued.
The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 would address the Georgia shortage by investing $52 billion through the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act and by creating a Supply Chain Resiliency Program to prevent future shortages of essential materials and goods, such as semiconductors.
Please find a copy of the Senators’ letter here and a copy of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 here.
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