Harris defends CHIPS Act after Johnson suggests GOP would repeal it

Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday criticized Home Speaker Mike Johnson for suggesting that Republicans could attempt to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act in the event that they win Congress, a comment he has since tried to stroll again.

“I additionally need to converse to the feedback which have been not too long ago made by the speaker of the Home,” Harris mentioned in Milwaukee to a gaggle of reporters. “It’s simply additional proof of all the things that I’ve really been speaking about for months now, about [former President Donald] Trump’s intention to implement Undertaking 2025.”

“We have talked repeatedly about their intention to eliminate the Inexpensive Care Act. Now to eliminate the CHIPS Act,” she added.

Speaker Johnson, R-La., made the remark at a Friday marketing campaign occasion in New York for Home Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y., a susceptible GOP candidate in probably the most carefully watched Home races of this election cycle.

“I anticipate that we in all probability will, however we’ve not developed that a part of the agenda but,” Johnson mentioned in response to a reporter asking whether or not the GOP would attempt to repeal the legislation.

The CHIPS Act handed Congress with bipartisan help in 2022. The legislation has unlocked practically $53 billion of funding to construct up home manufacturing of semiconductors, that are essential for the expansion of strategic industries corresponding to synthetic intelligence. The federal authorities has introduced greater than $30 billion of investments underneath the legislation as of August.

Harris has turned manufacturing funding into one of many central planks of her financial platform.

“It’s my plan and intention to proceed to put money into American manufacturing, the work being performed by American staff upholding and lifting up good union jobs,” Harris mentioned in Milwaukee. “That’s the manner we’re going to win the competitors with China for the twenty first century.”

Johnson’s comment adopted the lead of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who attacked the CHIPS Act throughout an Oct. 25 interview with Joe Rogan.

Trump accused Taiwan of stealing “our chip enterprise” within the interview, calling for tariffs on imported semiconductors.

“That chip deal is so dangerous,” Trump mentioned. “We put up billions of {dollars} for wealthy firms to come back in and borrow the cash and construct chip firms right here, and so they’re not going to provide us the great firms anyway.”

Rep. Williams’ congressional district has welcomed the potential financial increase of a coming Micron semiconductor manufacturing plant, sponsored by the CHIPS Act.

“The CHIPS Act is vastly impactful right here,” Williams mentioned after Johnson’s remark, in a delicate clean-up effort. The New York lawmaker additionally issued a press release on Friday saying that Johnson “apologized profusely” for the blunder and mentioned “he misheard the query.”

Democrats have to internet simply 4 extra Home seats to grab the gavel from Republicans within the subsequent Congress. Polling to this point reveals the Home race at basically coin-flip standing.

Johnson has made makes an attempt at additional injury management since his Friday remark, stating after the marketing campaign occasion that the CHIPS Act shouldn’t be on the GOP agenda to repeal.

Nonetheless, days away from the Nov. 5 election, Democrats are pouncing on the gaffe.

“The Republican Speaker of the Home simply advised the tens of hundreds of building staff constructing New York and America’s future they need to ship them pink slips ASAP,” Sen. Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote in a Friday put up on the X platform.