Governor Whitmer Leads Bipartisan Coalition Urging Biden Administration Action to Support Auto Workers and the Industry at Large Amid Global Semiconductor Shortage
LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, joined by Governors from Alabama, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and South Carolina, sent a letter to President Biden urging his administration to redouble efforts on behalf of the U.S. auto industry and its workers in light of plant closures and production volume reductions in several states brought on by a global shortage of auto-grade semiconductor wafers.
“Auto workers are the backbone of Michigan’s economy, and President Biden has already proven himself to be a strong ally when he pushed for the 2009 auto rescue that saved this industry,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Today, I’m urging President Biden to do everything in his power and to leave no stone unturned to protect auto jobs throughout the supply chain at risk because of this shortage. I am grateful for the President’s efforts to date to address this critical issue, including his recent actions calling for a supply chain review of the semiconductor industry and am hopeful we can once again count on President Biden’s leadership to ensure this vital industry has what it needs to continue bolstering our economy and providing good-paying jobs to hundreds of thousands of hard-working union members and their families.”
The automotive industry is heavily reliant on semiconductors given their use in vehicle safety, control, emissions, and driver information systems. The global auto-grade semiconductor chip shortage has already resulted in plant closures and production volume reductions in several states.
“We know of other foreign governments that continue to urge wafer and semiconductor companies to expand production capacity and/or temporarily reallocate a modest portion of their current production to auto-grade wafer production. We respectfully request that the Biden Administration do the same by continuing the drumbeat on behalf of automakers in the U.S. and their workers until there is a sufficient semiconductor supply to meet the strong demand for our vehicles, which has been one of the bright spots in our recovering economy,” the Governors wrote.
To view the letter, click the link below:
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