BANNOCKBURN, IL — The US House and Senate are poised this week to approve a defense spending bill that includes $5 million for research and development on the issues surrounding Pb-free electronics in mission-critical applications.

IPC and dozens of its members and allies supported the request for these funds, which are included in the final version of the Fiscal 2020 defense appropriations bill, being voted on in the US Senate today. The House has already approved the spending package, and President Trump is expected to sign the measure within hours after its passage.

“The migration of the commercial industry to Pb-free electronics has introduced technical and supply-chain concerns in the aerospace, defense and high-performance sectors that can only be addressed through greater, more focused public-private R&D,” said Chris Mitchell, IPC vice president of global government relations. “The funds in this bill will help support the much-needed collective effort and help ensure mission-critical systems have full access to cutting-edge electronics from a robust global supply chain.”

IPC and its partners believe a five-year $40 million investment in a public-private R&D program would yield more than $100 million in US defense savings per year and improve military readiness and overall innovation.

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