Michigan lawmakers named to panel shaping U.S. competitiveness bills

Michigan U.S. Sen. Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of Waterford Township and U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee of Flint Township, all Democrats, have been named to a bicameral committee in Congress that will negotiate the final shape of legislation aimed at increasing U.S. competition with China. 

The committee will work to hammer out differences between the House and Senate versions of the same legislation, which has stalled amid partisan divisions over the House-led bill. 

Both versions would appropriate $52 billion for domestic semiconductor chip production, which would be a windfall for the nation's automotive industry still struggling under a shortage of the chips used for infotainment displays, power steering, backup cameras, emergency braking system and more. That includes $2 billion set aside for "legacy" chips used in autos, a provision written by Peters and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing.