WASHINGTON, DC – The US China Economic & Security Review Commission recently released its 2025 Report to Congress. The report cites the fact that decades of offshoring printed circuit board ( PCB) manufacturing caused US capacity to plummet from 30 percent of the world supply in 2000 to only 4 percent today. Semiconductors, whether they are used for national defense, critical infrastructure or commercial systems, all must be mounted on a PCB.

The Commission report highlights that this dependency on China where 60 percent of the world supply originates and other foreign competitors creates a strategic vulnerability. While national defense systems are currently served by American manufacturers, defense demand alone is too small to sustain a modern PCB industrial base and the U.S. lacks the ability to scale.

“We agree with the Commission’s finding that Congress should create or expand industrial policy tools—including grants, loans, loan guarantees, advanced manufacturing tax credits and a dedicated industrial finance entity to rebuild domestic capacity, modernize equipment, and support U.S. workforce,” said David Schild, executive director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA). “That is why PCBAA and partner organizations are advocating for passage of H.R. 3597, the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates (PCBS) Act. That legislation mirrors many of the Commissions findings. We encourage members of Congress to co-sponsor this important bill that will revitalize our industry and reduce risk to our national and economic security.”

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