Slotkin to Democratic Leadership: Don't Screw Michigan's Auto Workers, Suppliers; Get to Work Negotiating a Bill that Will Be Signed into Law

Statement

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) released the following statement after voting today against a procedural motion related to the America COMPETES Act:

"Today, I voted "no' on a procedural rule related to the America COMPETES Act. This vote was a shot across the bow to the Democratic leadership to make clear they need to get serious about compromising with the Senate to get this bill signed into law. After letting the CHIPS Act lay dormant in the House for more than 6 months, the leadership rushed a new version in the past week, allowed Republicans to politicize what is a largely bipartisan bill, and elevated expectations on what will actually pass into law. Passing a bill just through the House will do nothing to get microchips to the auto plants I represent. I support the core elements of this bill, and will be voting to advance it on Friday. Some of my own supply chain legislation is in the bill. But once this bill passes this week, I urge leadership to lock themselves in a room with the Senate's negotiators and not come out until we get a deal on the core elements of this bill to be signed into law.

"In Michigan, we understand some basic truths: Compromise is not a dirty word, and we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. For those of us who represent industries that are wholly dependent on microchips, this bill is not a political exercise: I have thousands of auto workers in two separate GM plants in my district. For the better part of the last year, one of those plants has sat idle with its workers at home because of the chips shortage. I've been focused on this issue since COVID began -- longer than most Members of Congress even knew what a semiconductor was. I take a back seat to no one on this issue and I'm committed to passing a bill that will actually solve this shortage. If we drop the ball on this legislation, it's the auto workers and auto suppliers who will be left hung out to dry. It's their livelihoods at stake here, and I can't tolerate an insider, political process that screws them over.

"The overwhelming majority of this bill and especially its core elements -- funding for semiconductor manufacturing; funding for the science, research, and innovation that will allow us to compete with China; and key foreign policy measures to ensure U.S. leadership in the world -- are bipartisan, supported by Republicans and Democrats. House Republicans are complicit in politicizing this process. They are planning to uniformly vote against this bill despite supporting the vast majority of its provisions. I implore them to work with Democrats on a passable bill that can actually solve this crisis and bring some relief to American workers, families, and our economy overall."

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