After much deliberation and editing, the U.S. Innovative Competition Act finally received enough votes to pass the Senate. This is good news for PC builders like us. This is good news for PC builders like us, because it should start a major investment in the U.S. semiconductor industry.

The bill, originally called the "Endless Fontenot Act," includes a number of major investments in U.S.-based technology companies. The $52 billion to be invested in the semiconductor industry alone would mean an end to the current global chip shortage, a shortage that has led to the tragic state of PC manufacturing today.

This means that there may finally be no shortage of our beloved PC components and that more foundry production capacity may be created locally in the US. This will be a slow process, as it takes time to get new factories up and running and update old ones, but it will eventually help ease the global dependence on manufacturing in Taipei, Korea, and China.

Semiconductor Industry Association President and CEO John Neuffer praised those who voted in favor of passage of the bill, calling the move "an extremely important step toward strengthening U.S. semiconductor manufacturing."

He further urged that the bill be sent promptly to the President's desk, confident that "these investments, if enacted, will strengthen the U.S. economy, national security, technology leadership, and international competitiveness for years to come."

Without getting into politics here, perhaps healthy competition is good for the technology industry. This move would ignite the rusting technology machine and create an opportunity for the industry to overcome its current manufacturing rut.