November 23, 2024
Dear Friends,
Over the past several years, I’ve made it a top priority to bring key federal investments in jobs, manufacturing, and innovation to our Capital Region communities. The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda has already delivered billions of dollars to repair our region’s essential infrastructure, create good-paying jobs, and foster economic development — and perhaps nowhere has the positive impact of these investments been more apparent than in our region’s growing semiconductor industry.
Thanks to the CHIPS and Science Act that I helped author and advance through Congress, we’re already seeing billions of dollars flow into our communities to help bolster this emerging sector of our economy. Now, as our region cements its status as a global hub for advanced chip manufacturing, I’m committed to building the skilled local workforce we will need to prosper in the economy of the future.
With that in mind, I was proud yesterday to join the National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement (NIICA) for a roundtable conversation to discuss our efforts to boost workforce development and expand pathways to semiconductor and advanced manufacturing careers here in our Capital Region and across New York State. During the discussion, I spoke with industry leaders, workforce development organizations, and local educational institutions about how we can work together to strengthen our region’s semiconductor talent pipeline. By leveraging Registered Apprenticeships (RAs) and other collaborative efforts, we can bridge the skills gap and provide the training and resources that Capital Region residents need to prepare for good-paying jobs in this industry. At the same time, we’re working to widen the pipeline to empower residents of all backgrounds — ensuring every New Yorker has the opportunity to thrive in a cutting-edge career.
These efforts have become even more critical in recent months as federal investments continue to pour into our region’s advanced manufacturing sector. On October 31st, I was thrilled to be on hand as the Albany NanoTech Complex at NY CREATES was named as the host of the first CHIPS for America research and development (R&D) flagship facility. Albany will be the site of the National Semiconductor Technology Center’s (NSTC) CHIPS for America Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Accelerator, a facility that will play an essential role in manufacturing smaller, faster, and more efficient microchips. I spent years pushing for the NSTC to be established here in New York — and with $825 million in federal funding from our CHIPS and Science Act, I know this investment will continue to create good-paying jobs in our Capital Region for years to come.
But that’s not all. Just this week, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that GlobalFoundries in Malta has been awarded a massive $1.5 billion in federal funding to support advanced semiconductor manufacturing — an investment that further strengthens our region’s leadership position in the field. This funding — also made possible by the CHIPS and Science Act — will create an estimated 10,000 construction and manufacturing jobs here in our Capital Region. As this award is distributed, I’ll continue working with our industry partners to ensure strong labor commitments are met as we keep up our efforts to bolster the strong, union jobs of tomorrow.
Even as we celebrate these exciting announcements, I know that we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. With President-elect Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson signaling their intentions to roll back critical provisions of the CHIPS and Science Act, the work is just beginning to protect this law that is already growing our economy, securing our domestic supply chains, and supporting our local communities. Going forward, I’m committed to doing all I can to safeguard these investments and make sure the residents of our Capital Region are ready to fill the thousands of jobs we’ve created.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- As part of International Fraud Awareness Week, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is working to give veterans and their loved ones the tools they need to protect themselves from common scams that target their benefits.
- The VA is warning veterans and their families to stay on the lookout for several types of fraud schemes, from phishing (or clickbait) scams to “claims predators” and “pension poachers.”
- You can learn more about each of these types of threats by clicking HERE.
- The best way to combat fraud is through awareness and taking precautions. Veterans, beneficiaries, caregivers, and survivors can take several steps to safeguard against fraud schemes, including:
- Verifying credentials: For claims assistance, educational programs or pension support, always verify the legitimacy of the person or institution contacting you or offering you the service.
- Being cautious online: Only click on links from trusted sources and avoid giving out personal information through unfamiliar links and websites.
- Reporting suspicious activity: Veterans who suspect they have experienced fraud can find resources to file a report to the appropriate agency by visiting www.vsafe.gov or calling 833-38V-SAFE.
- You can click HERE for more information about how to protect you and your loved ones from scams targeting VA benefits, or click HERE to view the VA’s Fraud Prevention Toolkit.
