BURLINGTON, Vt., Feb. 19 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today applauded the announcement by the Biden-Harris Administration that the U.S. Department of Commerce will provide $1.5 billion in planned direct funding for GlobalFoundries as part of the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act. This will include funding for the modernization of GlobalFoundries’ facility in Essex Junction, adding secure capacity for essential chip manufacturing for automotive and other key markets, and creating jobs and apprenticeship programs for hundreds of Vermonters.

“There is no doubt that there is a global shortage in microchips and semiconductors which is making it harder for manufacturers to produce the cars, cellphones, and electronic equipment that we need,” said Sanders. “This federal investment will bring valuable support to help this industry succeed in Vermont by supporting innovations in development, manufacturing, and production. It will also create good-paying jobs for hundreds of Vermonters, and bring in apprenticeship programs to teach the next generation. I applaud the Biden-Harris administration for this funding.”

The funding will allow for upgrades in existing facilities, expand capacity as well as create the first U.S. facility capable of high-volume manufacturing of next-generation gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors for use in electric vehicles, power grids, data centers, 5G and 6G smartphones and other critical technologies.

GlobalFoundries’ facility in Vermont is their longest continuously operated facility where semiconductors are made. Today, about 85% of phones have a GlobalFoundries chip in it.