Washington, DC – Today Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ), members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced the bipartisan Protecting Semiconductor Supply Chain Materials from Authoritarians Act. By amending the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014, this legislation would establish a working group for reporting on the semiconductor supply chain disruptions caused by Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The group would also focus on strategies for strengthening stores of critical elements, compounds, and products; and mechanisms to monitor potential threats to the semiconductor supply chains.

“Our global supply chain was massively disrupted by the pandemic, and its durability has been tested even further by Vladimir Putin’s aggression in Ukraine. Our semiconductor supply is important for countless aspects of our daily lives, from the medical devices that keep us healthy to the smartphones in our pockets. It is also vital for the successful operation of gaming businesses across District One. My bipartisan legislation will protect our economic and national security by ensuring that the U.S. is taking proactive steps to insulate the semiconductor supply chain from future shocks,” said Rep. Titus.

“This bill is about safeguarding our technological prowess for freedom, innovation, and national security. We as a country need to prioritize securing supply chains from those who seek to exploit and manipulate them for authoritarian gains. Together, we are forging a path that ensures America's leadership in cutting-edge technologies remains strong, while also preserving the principles that define us as a nation,” said Rep. Kean.

Russia's war in Ukraine highlights several geostrategic factors implicated in the global production of semiconductors. Ukraine is a critical part of the international semiconductor supply chain, as a major supplier of the neon gas used to operate the lasers at the core of semiconductor production. The U.S. has historically sourced up to 90% of its neon from Ukraine, and Putin's destabilizing actions in the region have upset this crucial supply chain.