The US CHIPS Act
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The US CHIPS Act
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The US CHIPS Act
About the US CHIPS Act
The US CHIPS and Science Act was signed into law in August 2022 to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing, drive private sector investment, create high-quality jobs, and expand US leadership in advanced technologies.
Initially, the Act was managed by the CHIPS Program Office and the CHIPS R&D Office, both housed within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. These offices focused on administering the Act’s $54.2 billion in semiconductor-related funding, while the remainder of the law’s $278 billion authorized spending would support a broad range of science and technology programs across federal agencies.
In March 2025, the Trump administration restructured oversight by creating the US Investment Accelerator, a new office within the Department of Commerce tasked with managing CHIPS-related investments over $1 billion. While NIST continues to play a leading role in R&D, the Investment Accelerator now oversees broader implementation, coordinating state and federal efforts to streamline investment and permitting.
Two related executive orders, one on domestic critical mineral production and another on unlocking offshore mineral resources, with the intention of supporting the CHIPS Act’s goals by securing the raw materials essential to semiconductor supply chains.
Visit www.nist.gov/chips to learn more.
For questions about the US CHIPS Act, contact USCHIPS@optica.org, askchips@chips.gov or apply@chips.gov.
Official Resources
The CHIPS and Science Act: Here’s what’s in it. (McKinsey & Co.)
In March and April 2025, President Trump issued executive orders to bolster domestic production of critical minerals essential for semiconductor manufacturing and other technologies.
