Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce Chair Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today requested a full accounting from Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo of funding from the CHIPS and Science Act. 

The letter follows an Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing at which the Department of Commerce Inspector General Peggy Gustafon provided the following testimony: 

"The increased funding may also increase the volume and complexity of financial transactions, thus making it more difficult to detect and prevent payment errors, fraud, waste, and abuse. The increase in funding may require additional monitoring and reporting to ensure project recipients comply with statutes, achieve intended outcomes, and use funds efficiently. Finally, the increased funding may introduce new or emerging risks that must be identified and addressed in a timely fashion."

KEY COMMITTEE LETTER EXCERPT: 

“Over the past two years, under one-party Democratic rule, Congress and the Biden administration have spent trillions of dollars across the federal government. Beginning with the American Rescue Plan Act and most recently with the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, Democrats have funneled an excessive amount of taxpayer dollars to advance their radical, progressive agenda and to benefit their political allies. The CHIPS and Science Act granted the Department of Commerce (the Department) control of $50 billion to spend on semiconductor activities, including $39 billion in manufacturing incentives. The American people deserve a full, transparent, and regular accounting of the funds that have been spent, where the funds have gone and for what purpose, who has benefited, and how much remains."

The Chairs requested monthly reports beginning on no later than April 18, 2023. 

CLICK HERE to read the full letter.