Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday toured Corning’s Hemlock Semiconductor Next Gen Facility in Michigan as part of her pitch to invest in American manufacturing jobs.
Last week, Hemlock Semiconductor received a $325 million preliminary investment under the CHIPS and Science Act, a bipartisan bill passed in 2022 under the Biden administration.
During her visit, the vice president toured the assembly line and greeted workers. At the beginning of her tour, the vice president briefly reached over wanting to touch some bagged material that was presented in front of her, but was quickly warned to not do so by her tour host, who explained much of the material in front of her was very sharp.
The vice president responded with a laugh: “OK, I won’t touch that.”
She then spoke with three workers wearing hard hats who explained how polysilicon, which is used in the manufacturing of solar panels, is made from quartz, before speaking with other workers at the facility.
In brief remarks after her tour, Harris said the country must not “rest on tradition” and must continue to innovate.
“We have to constantly be on top of what is happening, what is current, and investing in industries of the future, as well as honoring the traditions and the industries that have built up America’s economy,” she could be heard saying.
Noting the election is eight days away, Harris sought to contrast her approach with former President Donald Trump’s, saying “My opponent spends full time talking about — just kind of diminishing who we are as America, and talking down at people. Talking about, that we’re the garbage can of the world. We’re not.”
