Blog

by David Isaacs, Vice President, Government Affairs

This Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on bipartisan legislation that would help secure the supply of helium, a gas that is critical for advanced manufacturing of semiconductors and other products, as well as scientific research. 

by Semiconductor Industry Association

by Semiconductor Industry Association

by Semiconductor Industry Association

This week, the U.S. government began accepting applications from employers for H-1B visas for highly educated workers who want to fill open jobs in the U.S. Unfortunately, the demand for skilled immigrant workers far exceeds the current cap of 65,000 H-1B visas (plus an additional 20,000 for those with advanced degrees from U.S. universities), so […]

by Semiconductor Industry Association

by David Isaacs, Vice President, Government Affairs

On March 20, the House Natural Resources Committee voted to approve the “Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act” (HR 527), a bipartisan bill that would address the impending cessation of sales of helium from the Federal Helium Reserve. The legislation now awaits action on the House floor, which will likely be scheduled sometime next month.

by Semiconductor Industry Association

SIA this week joined a coalition of more than 100 technology leaders from across the country in sending a letter to President Obama and congressional leaders urging prompt approval of legislation to reform America’s outdated high-skilled immigration system.

by Semiconductor Industry Association

Earlier this month, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) completed an investigation into the proposed expansion of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), which promotes fair and open trade by providing for duty-free treatment of certain information technology products, including semiconductors.

by Semiconductor Industry Association

The 20th annual Discover Engineering Family Day (DEFD) will be held tomorrow, Feb. 16, at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. DEFD is a fun way to introduce students between the ages of 4 and 12 to the world of technology and show them how professional engineers turn ideas into reality. The event, which […]

by Semiconductor Industry Association

During tonight’s State of the Union Address, President Obama outlined a plan to create jobs and accelerate America’s economic recovery. As a bellwether of the U.S. economy, the semiconductor industry was particularly encouraged to hear the President call on Congress to support funding for scientific research, fix America’s high-skilled immigration system, and reform the corporate […]

by David Isaacs, Vice President, Government Affairs

On Jan. 2, President Obama signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2013, legislation that, among other things, permits the Administration to return commercial satellites and related items – including radiation-hardened (or “rad hard”) semiconductors – to the jurisdiction of Export Administration Regulations administered by the Commerce Department after Congressional notification. This […]

by Semiconductor Industry Association

Several U.S. semiconductor companies ranked among the leading U.S. patent recipients in 2012, according to a recent report. The report, which was compiled and released by IFI Claims, shows that of the top 15 U.S. firms receiving U.S. patents in 2012, six were semiconductor companies: IBM, Qualcomm, Intel, Broadcom, Micron and Texas Instruments. IBM ranked […]