Senate vote planned for computer chip bill

Senate vote planned for computer chip bill

FILE - President Joe Biden attends an event to support legislation that would encourage domestic manufacturing and strengthen supply chains for computer chips in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, March 9, 2022, in Washington. A bill to boost semiconductor production in the United States is making its way through the Senate and is a top priority of the Biden administration. It would subsidize computer chip manufacturers through grants and tax breaks when they build or expand chip plants in the U.S. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Calling semiconductors “the building blocks for the modern economy,” President Joe Biden has asked Congress to move quickly on a bipartisan bill to boost the computer chips industry and high-tech research in the U.S. The Senate was on the verge of taking a vote last night. But Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said storms on the East Coast disrupted travel plans for some lawmakers. The vote is now expected today. The bill needs support from at least 60 senators to put it on the path to final passage this week. Biden has said the semiconductor measure is needed to protect national security — and to help the U.S. better compete with China.

Photo: (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)