Rep. Stevens Calls for July 4th Deadline for Passage of U.S. Innovation and Competition Bill

Statement

"Today was the first meeting of the Conference Committee of Bipartisan Innovation and Competitiveness Legislation of which I am honored to be a member. It marked an incredible start to the process, and I am so proud to be working with my colleagues from across the aisle and in the Senate. I am extremely alarmed by the lack of urgency from my Republican colleagues. It is imperative that we work together to pass this legislation immediately.

Since Michigan's 11th District sent me to Congress, I have championed the innovation economy in my state - the heartland of the automotive industry. Every day, I wake up to headlines about the chip shortage. The impact of the CHIPS crisis is wide-ranging -- it has dramatically impacted Michigan's small to midsize manufacturers. We must work urgently to remedy this chips crisis not only for our automotive sector but to bring prices down for everyday Americans who use chips in everything from their smartphones to laptops to microwaves.

We don't have time to be politicking and distracting from the issues at hand. Our work on this committee is not to get "soundbites" and "gotcha headlines." Americans need us to deliver on this package and shepherd our country into a new phase of leadership on the global stage and assert ourselves as the world leader in innovation and competition.

The one message I want to communicate to my fellow conferees -- my top priority here is to get this done.

This year, we will celebrate our 246th-year as a nation. I hope my fellow conferees work with me to pass this legislation by Independence Day -- to lay the foundation for the next century of American leadership. Michiganders can no longer afford for us to idle on this package."

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