WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger asking for answers on the billions in U.S. taxpayer dollars Intel received through the CHIPS and Science Act after the company announced it will cut 15 percent of its workforce. Senator Scott has expressed serious concerns for years that the flawed legislation would allow companies like Intel to gain access to and potentially waste U.S. taxpayer money without the Biden-Harris administration holding them accountable to metrics for domestic job creation, while the company continues to operate and grow in Communist China.

Read the full letter HERE or below.

Dear Mr. Gelsinger:

Two years ago, President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law, and in the months since, the Biden-Harris Department of Commerce has proposed up to $8.5 billion in direct funding to Intel through the CHIPS and Science Act, as well as a 25 percent tax credit on more than $100 billion in assets, and the ability to receive federal loans up to $11 billion. Given this massive federal windfall for Intel, I write with grave concern regarding the recent announcement by Intel to cut 15 percent of its workforce (roughly 15,000 jobs).

When the Senate was considering the CHIPS and Science Act in 2022, members of the Senate warned about the bill’s flaws, which have allowed companies like Intel to gain access to massive amounts of U.S. taxpayer money, while continuing to operate in Communist China, while also failing to include real metrics that would protect taxpayer dollars from going to companies that could not meet high standards for U.S. manufacturing and job creation.

Today, in light of Intel’s decision-making, I am deeply troubled at the prospect that the tax dollars aforementioned will be completely wasted on a failed attempt by the Biden-Harris administration to keep Intel operating in sync with U.S. interests and stopping it from investing in Communist China, which you made clear you have no interest in doing under questioning during a U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing in 2022.

I request that you answer the following questions:

• Will any U.S. Intel employees lose their jobs as a result of these announced job cuts?
• If so, how many?
• Where are the jobs that are being cut?
• Is Intel still committed to investing in the American semiconductor manufacturing industry?
• If so, has your recent announcement impacted your investment timeline?
• Would Intel agree to forfeit funds provided in the CHIPS and Science Act if Intel cannot deliver on its promised investments?
• Is Intel still committed to investing in Communist China?
• Will any funds provided by U.S. taxpayers be invested in Communist China?
• What is Intel trying to achieve with these job cuts, and why have billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars in investments not been sufficient support to avert the need for lay-offs?

I look forward to hearing answers to these questions and learning how Intel is stewarding and safeguarding U.S. taxpayers’ hard-earned cash.

###