Colin Allred, Ted Cruz spar over credit for microchip bill

DALLAS – The Dallas Morning News reports U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas, agree that Texas can expect new jobs and economic development from a bill easing permitting requirements on new semiconductor manufacturing facilities. The two sparred sharply this week, however, over which of them deserves credit for getting the legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk. Allred’s camp noted that he co-sponsored the original House bill. Cruz said he rewrote it in the Senate and convinced House GOP leaders to push his version over the finish line. The dispute comes as the two candidates are locked in a competitive race, with each pitching himself as the best option to deliver on job creation.

“A win for Texas! The House passed our bill, the Building Chips in America Act, to streamline permitting and advance CHIPS Act projects,” Allred said on X. “Thanks to a team from both sides of the aisle, we got this done.” Repeating his criticism that Cruz is more interested in self-promotion than finding solutions, Allred added: “Ted Cruz is trying to claim credit. Classic Ted acting like a ‘me guy.’ ” A prime example, Allred says, was Cruz’s vote against the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act that was intended to boost domestic production of microchips and is helping bring billions of dollars to new Texas facilities. Cruz says he enthusiastically supported the 2022 bill’s tax and regulatory incentives for new manufacturing facilities but strongly objected to its direct corporate subsidies. “I am not a fan of giving taxpayer money directly to private corporations, and I think history has shown that it can lead to bad results,” Cruz said. “Once the bill passed, I have actively urged as many of those dollars as possible to go to Texas.” Cruz said he was particularly interested in speeding those new manufacturing facilities through a federal environmental review process that can delay projects for years. He recounted seeing an Allred news release announcing the original proposal to ease those requirements.