Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday visited a semiconductor plant in the battleground of Michigan to promote her pledge to invest in small businesses if elected next week.
Ms. Harris toured a manufacturing plant in Saginaw operated by Hemlock Semiconductors, which received a $325 million federal grant the week before Ms. Harris’ visit. It was one of three campaign stops she has in Michigan aimed at boosting her appeal to working-class voters as well as Arab Americans frustrated with the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the war in Gaza.
The race is a dead heat in Michigan.
After touring Hemlock Semiconductors and talking to workers, Ms. Harris laid out the case why her economic plan will boost manufacturing in America, saying former President Donald Trump failed to deliver for them in his first term.
Ms. Harris pledged to expand the number of jobs, including government positions, that don’t require a college degree.
“So there are many points that are about how we think about the future of work, the future of the workforce, the future of the American industry in a way that understands that we should be optimistic about what’s possible,” she said.
She also accused Mr. Trump of selling advanced computer chips to China, which she said is “not in the best interest of America’s security and prosperity, which should be the two highest priorities for the President of the United States.”
But Mr. Trump’s administration took significant steps to limit China’s access to sensitive technologies, including semiconductors. In 2017, the Trump administration blocked the acquisition of a U.S. semiconductor maker by a Chinese company citing national security risks.
Ms. Harris talked about the investments the Biden administration made to boost manufacturing in Michigan, citing the law to increase semiconductor production in the U.S. and President Biden’s tax, healthcare and climate law, which allocated funds for green energy.
The Hemlock grant comes from Mr. Biden’s semiconductor law, known as the CHIPS and Science Act, which the administration says will create 1,000 temporary construction jobs and 180 permanent manufacturing jobs at the company.
Hemlock makes poly-silicon for use in advanced computer chips and other technologies, which will be used to make components for solar panels.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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