Building Chips in America Act of 2023
Latest action · Oct 2, 2024 Became Public Law No: 118-105.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJul 11, 2023
- Passed SenateDec 14, 2023
- Passed HouseSep 23, 2024
- To the PresidentSep 24, 2024
- Became lawOct 2, 2024Public Law 118-105
Summary
Building Chips in America Act of 2023
This bill modifies and limits the review of certain semiconductor (i.e., microchip) projects under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
First, the bill exempts from NEPA and NHPA specified semiconductor projects that receive financial assistance under the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, including semiconductor projects with (1) activities that commence by December 31, 2024; (2) federal financial assistance provided in the form of a loan or loan guarantee; or (3) federal financial assistance, excluding any loan or loan guarantee, that comprises no more than 10% of the total estimated cost of the project. Further, the bill exempts certain activities from NEPA relating to the construction, expansion, or modernization of semiconductor facilities by establishing several categorical exclusions.
Next, the bill allows the Department of Commerce to serve as the lead agency for the review of a semiconductor project that receives such financial assistance but is not exempted from review under NEPA.
In completing an environmental review under NEPA for semiconductor projects that receive such financial assistance, Commerce may rely on or adopt prior studies and decisions under certain circumstances.
Recorded votes 1
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 440 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass | Passed257–125 | Sep 23, 2024 |
Cosponsors 5
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jul 11, 2023 to Jul 27, 2023; 3 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-TN | Bill Hagerty | Original | Jul 11, 2023 |
| D-OH | Sherrod Brown | Original | Jul 11, 2023 |
| R-IN | Todd Young | Original | Jul 11, 2023 |
| I-AZ | Kyrsten Sinema | Jul 27, 2023 | |
| R-NC | Ted Budd | Jul 27, 2023 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | Environment and Public Works Committee | Referred Jul 11, 2023Discharged Dec 14, 2023 |
Actions 18
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Oct 2, 2024Signed by President.
- Oct 2, 2024Became Public Law No: 118-105.
- Sep 24, 2024Presented to President.
- Sep 23, 2024Mr. Lucas moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Sep 23, 2024Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5603-5606)
- Sep 23, 2024DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2228.
- Sep 23, 2024At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- Sep 23, 2024Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5625-5626)
- Sep 23, 2024Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 257 - 125 (Roll no. 440). (text: CR H5603-5604)
- Sep 23, 2024Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Dec 19, 2023Received in the House.
- Dec 19, 2023Held at the desk.
- Dec 18, 2023Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Dec 14, 2023Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Dec 14, 2023Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6009-6010)
- Dec 14, 2023Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S6010)
- Jul 11, 2023Introduced in Senate
- Jul 11, 2023Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
In the Congressional Record 4
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E973 | Zoe Lofgren D-CA | Sep 25, 2024 |
| House | Debate and remarks H5603–H5606Text printed H5603Recorded votes H5625enact | Frank D. Lucas R-OK, Frank Pallone, Jr. D-NJ, Greg Stanton D-AZ, Jennifer A. Kiggans R-VA, Michael C. Burgess R-TX, Summer L. Lee D-PA | Sep 23, 2024 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S6009, S6010Text printed S6010Amendments S6005, S6010 | Bill Hagerty R-TN (amendment), Charles E. Schumer D-NY, Kyrsten Sinema I-AZ (amendment), Mark Kelly D-AZ (amendment), Martin Heinrich D-NM (amendment), Sherrod Brown D-OH (amendment), Ted Cruz R-TX (amendment), Todd Young R-IN (amendment) | Dec 14, 2023 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S2448 | Mark Kelly D-AZ | Jul 13, 2023 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
CRS reports 5
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 5
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| RS21852 | The United Arab Emirates (UAE): Issues for U.S. Policy | Report | Sep 30, 2026 |
| R49031 | Semiconductor Fabrication Facilities Funded by the CHIPS Act: Project Status and Considerations for Congress | Report | Jul 14, 2026 |
| R48595 | Legislative Categorical Exclusions Under the National Environmental Policy Act | Report | Jul 10, 2025 |
| R48347 | Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Natural Gas Permitting and Litigation | Report | Feb 19, 2025 |
| R47094 | Fact Sheet: Joint Resolutions of Disapproval Under the Arms Export Control Act | Report | Dec 20, 2024 |
Amendments 1
Amendments offered to this bill.
| Amendment | Description | Offered by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA 1378 | In the nature of a substitute. | Mark Kelly D-AZfor Charles E. Schumer | Amendment SA 1378 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent. |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 4549 | Building Chips in America Act of 2023 | Identical bill | Jul 14, 2023 |
Titles 4
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill to amend the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 to clarify the scope of a major Federal action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 with respect to certain projects relating to the production of semiconductors, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Building Chips in America Act of 2023
- Short Title(s) as Passed Senate
- Building Chips in America Act of 2023
- Short Titles from ENR (Enrolled) bill text
- Building Chips in America Act of 2023
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Environmental Protection.
Text 3
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- —Enrolled Bill
- Dec 14, 2023Engrossed in Senate
- Jul 11, 2023Introduced in Senate
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
