Inside PCBAA's Fight for American Circuit Board Manufacturing

Join host Zach Peterson as he sits down with David Schild, Executive Director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA), fresh from their annual Washington D.C. meeting. Discover how the organization is advocating for critical legislation like H.R.3597, the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act, and why American PCB manufacturing dropped from 30% to just 4% of global production. Learn about the workforce challenges, private investment opportunities, and the strategic importance of domestic microelectronics manufacturing for everything from F-150s to F-35s.

This in-depth episode of the OnTrack Podcast unpacks the policy battles happening behind the scenes as PCBAA works to secure tax incentives and federal support for American PCB manufacturers. David shares insights from their recent congressional meetings, explains why major OEMs like RTX (Raytheon) are joining the fight, and discusses the organization's mission to educate lawmakers about the critical role circuit boards play in national security and commercial applications.

👉 Resources from this episode:

- H.R.3597: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3597

- PCBAA: https://www.pcbaa.org/

- David Schild: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidschild/

- "Chip War" by Chris Miller: https://a.co/d/7CDUpI2

- Forbes Article about US Manufacturing: https://shorturl.at/psnwM

- Happy Holden OnTrack Episode: https://youtu.be/exh5p4G6cy8

- Blake Moore OnTrack Episode: https://youtu.be/xU80guGtMWc

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