CNN
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House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday walked back remarks in which he said he would consider repealing the CHIPS Act, potentially dealing a major blow to the re-election hopes of one of the Republicans’ most vulnerable congressional incumbents.
Earlier in the day, Johnson told reporters at a campaign stop in Syracuse, New York, that if Republicans control Congress and former President Donald Trump wins the White House, Republicans will “probably” be able to buy semiconductor chip manufacturing packages. He said he would try to abolish it. The bill would bring a $100 billion microchip manufacturing center to the region where Mr. Johnson campaigned with Republican Rep. Brandon Williams.
“As I have further explained and made clear, I fully support Micron coming to the heart of New York City, and the CHIPS Act is not on the agenda for repeal,” Johnson later said in a statement. mentioned in. “On the contrary, legislation could be enacted to further streamline and improve the bill’s primary objective of eliminating costly regulations and Green New Deal requirements.”
Williams, who is facing a tough challenge from Democratic Sen. John Mannion, said at a campaign event that as Micron prepares to break ground, “I remind (Johnson) every day how important the CHIPS Act is. Let me do it,” he interjected. New York factory.
“I spoke privately with the chairman immediately following the event,” Williams said in a statement late Friday. He apologized profusely, saying he had misunderstood the question. ”
The CHIPS and Science Act, passed in 2022, will invest more than $200 billion over five years to help the United States regain its leadership position in semiconductor chip manufacturing. The new funding is aimed at helping companies bring chip manufacturing back to the United States, resulting in lower costs and preventing supply chain disruptions.
Earlier Friday, Johnson was asked by a Citrus TV News reporter: “The former president said he didn’t support CHIPS and the Science Act. You voted against it. If you had a Republican majority in Congress and Trump in the White House; Would you try to repeal that law?
“We anticipate that that’s probably the case, but we haven’t developed that part of the agenda yet,” Johnson said. “We have to get through the election first, which is why I’m so happy to be No. 22 in New York. Brandon Williams is one of the most important races in this country, and that’s why That’s why Democrats are spending millions of dollars trying to unseat him.”
After Williams defended the CHIPS Act, which he said was “very influential here,” Johnson said: Someone who is a strong defender of that law. People listen to Brandon Williams. If it’s important to your district, you need this person to advocate for it. ”
Johnson later said his opposition to the CHIPS Act was related to other programs included in the bill. “We’re going to support chip manufacturing, but we’re not going to support the Green New Deal. Separating the two makes it much easier,” he said.
Democrats immediately condemned the gaffe. X’s “Kamala HQ” account posted a video of the exchange, with Mannion saying: “Trump wants to break up, Johnson is in lockstep and Williams calls it corporate welfare.” commented.
“In Congress, I will champion CHIPS and science and continue to invest in (Central New York) and the Mohawk Valley,” Manion wrote.
Williams was not yet in Congress when the bill was passed, but he criticized it during his 2022 campaign.
