Michigan Congresswoman pushes legislation to build semiconductor chips in the U.S.

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - As the U.S. and the world continues with the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage, Michigan Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin is pushing to have those valuable chips made in the United States.

Slotkin is a co-sponsor of the CHIPS Act; intended to make more technology chips in America to compete with other countries.

Chips are fundamental to all of our electronics, but the shortage is being felt the most in the automobile industry. In vehicles, they control your windows, heated seats and more. Currently, only a small percentage of them are made in the U.S.

The CHIPS Act is part of a bigger bill called America Competes. The bill has been passed in the House and is being handed to the U.S. Senate.

It would offer American companies $52 billion as incentive to make chips here.

"If we want to compete, we need the private sector to work with the government to come up with a plan to do that. It doesn't happen by accident," Slotkin said. "The question is do you want our kids working for American companies or Chinese companies?"

The U.S. makes a small percentage of chips for vehicles, but shortages show it's not enough. Ford Motor Company said they had to disrupt work at 6 plants in the U.S. this week because of the shortage.

General Motors is securing deals with companies to make sure they don't have to stop production, according to CEO Mary Barra.

Ohio made a commitment to the CHIPS Act earlier this year. Slotkin says she wants these chips to not just be made in the U.S., but for some to be made in Michigan. 

"Look at what Intel just announced for Ohio; $20 billion investment," Slotkin said. "Frankly, we know that they went ahead and made that investment because they are banking on this legislation passing."

For this bill to pass, it's going to take cooperation and compromise from both sides.