U.S. Commerce Secretary Visits Hillsboro With Billions at Stake

Will Oregon get part of a massive investment in manufacturing money from the feds?  Oregon leaders appear to hope that answer is yes.

Governor Tina Kotek, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici welcomed U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to P.C.C Willow Creek in Hillsboro, where tech companies donate equipment, which students use for training, so they can get good paying tech jobs.

 “Everything that I’ve seen here today, the community college,  from the universities, we had Senator Wyden and Congresswoman Bonamici hosted with me and the Governor an amazing group of companies before, almost 20 of them. It’s world class.  The way you’re thinking about job training, investments in technology, investments in infrastructure, the Governor’s committing to making the permitting streamlined.  You’re doing everything right.  And we just have to partner with you to help you be successful,” said Raimondo.

Raimondo’s working on decisions about the CHIPS Act: $52 billion in funding, with the idea of promoting semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. The Oregon Senate has passed a bill with bipartisan support, that would set aside $210 million dollars for Oregon’s businesses, schools and local governments to help them get CHIPS investment.

The nation’s Commerce Secretary says it’s time for a comeback after: “About 40 years of taking our eye off the ball of manufacturing.”