Remarks by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks at the 2024 Microelectronics Commons Annual Meeting
As Delivered
October 29, 2024
Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here today to speak with you all about the importance of microelectronics to our national security.
As you know, microelectronics are the brains of our modern military systems. They power everything from our communications networks to our weapons systems to our intelligence gathering capabilities. Without microelectronics, our military would be unable to operate in the modern world.
Unfortunately, the United States is facing a significant challenge in terms of microelectronics production. We have become increasingly reliant on foreign suppliers for these critical components, and this has made us vulnerable to supply chain disruptions.
In recent years, we have seen a number of examples of how these disruptions can impact our national security. For example, in 2021, a fire at a Japanese factory that produces semiconductor wafers caused a major disruption in the global supply chain. This had a ripple effect on a wide range of industries, including the automotive and defense industries.
We cannot afford to be so reliant on foreign suppliers for such a critical component of our national security. We need to take steps to increase our domestic production of microelectronics.
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to doing just that. In February, President Biden signed an executive order on America’s Supply Chains. This order calls for a number of steps to strengthen our supply chains, including increasing domestic production of critical components such as microelectronics.
The Department of Defense is also taking steps to increase our domestic production of microelectronics. We are working with industry to develop new technologies and to create new manufacturing facilities in the United States.
We are also working with our allies and partners to strengthen our global supply chains. We need to ensure that we have access to the critical components we need, even in the event of a disruption.
The challenges we face are significant, but I am confident that we can overcome them. We have the resources, the ingenuity, and the determination to make the United States the world leader in microelectronics production.
Thank you for your time.
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