President Burt-Nanna Joins Congressman Morelle, Community Partners to Highlight Historic Legislation
August 2, 2022
Today, Congressman Joe Morelle and community partners — including MCC President DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Duffy, and University of Rochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf — celebrated the passage of historic legislation to uplift Rochester families and advance Rochester’s role as a leader in innovation. The CHIPS and Science Act will support the creation of critical new jobs, lower the cost of everyday goods families rely on, and strengthen competitiveness with countries like China.
Congressman Joe Morelle is flanked by, from left, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Bob Duffy, Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, and University of Rochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf. (Photo by MCC Professor Alexis Vogt)
“For generations, Rochester has been synonymous with technology, knowledge, and entrepreneurship,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “With this legislation, we are investing in what makes our community special and turning the page on a new chapter that will foster growth and opportunity for families, businesses, and workers alike. We’re creating jobs, lowering costs, and creating long-term economic stability that will propel Rochester into the future and cement our place as a national leader in innovation for years to come.”
DeAnna R. Burt Nanna, Ph.D., president of Monroe Community College, said: “Many thanks go to our Congressional representatives, especially Congressman Joe Morelle, for their leadership and vision for industry innovation, job creation and economic growth. Federal support through the CHIPS and Science Act will enable institutions like Monroe Community College (Rochester, N.Y.) to expand efforts in preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow and fulfilling employers’ growing demands for skilled technicians. In collaboration with government, industry and academia partners, MCC has a 60-year track record of strengthening the talent pipeline and is committed to providing viable pathways to high-demand careers with family-sustaining wages for diverse learners.”
The Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act invests in the domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips, which power everything from our cars to our TVs to our smartphones and household appliances. Over the last few years, countries like China have significantly outpaced America in developing these chips. China has invested more than $150 billion to build their domestic chip manufacturing capacity, causing America to fall behind. This legislation will put U.S. back on pace to compete with China while reducing our reliance on foreign supply chains, in turn lowering the costs of goods that rely on semiconductor chips and passing those savings on to families.
Additional highlights of the CHIPS and Science Act include:
- Invests in the creation of 20 geographically distributed regional technology hubs to focus on technology development, job creation, and expanding U.S. innovation capacity;
- Implements the CHIPS for America Workforce and Education Fund to kick start development of the domestic semiconductor workforce;
- Supports RECOMPETES grant program for persistently distressed communities, creating good-paying jobs meeting local economic development needs.
The full news release is available on Congressman Morelle’s website.