WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, announced the award of $24.3 million in federal funds authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 for the establishment of the Midwest Microelectronics Consortium regional innovation hub in Ohio. In April 2023, joined by fellow members of Ohio’s congressional delegation, Congressman Turner led a letter to the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to express support for the Midwest Microelectronics Consortium’s (MMEC) application for regional hub designation in Ohio through the Microelectronics Commons (ME Commons) program under the Department of Defense.
“Ohio’s selection as the Midwest hub for the ME Commons program underscores the critical innovation, research, and technology ecosystem our state continues to build,” said Congressman Mike Turner. “With various defense and aerospace research installations, renowned academic institutions, and diverse manufacturing base, the Buckeye State is the logical choice for this new regional technology hub. The MMEC is an important initiative that will empower the United States to regain dominance in the global microelectronics industry and grow Ohio’s position as an international innovation and technology hub.”
FY23 ME Commons Program Awards:
Midwest Microelectronics Consortium (MMEC) Hub in Ohio: $24,300,000
Background:
The Microelectronics Commons is a national network that will produce direct pathways to commercialization for U.S. microelectronics researchers and designers. The CHIPS and Science Act, which Congressman Turner supported, established the program for which these funds are awarded. The Defense Department announced eight sites today that will share in the $238 million allocated for the fiscal year. The program is authorized for five years, and additional funding to the hubs, including Ohio, may be awarded in subsequent years.