Harris slams Speaker Mike Johnson for saying the GOP may repeal CHIPS Act

Vice President Kamala Harris tore into Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Saturday for his comment that Republicans might seek to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act if they take control of Congress in the upcoming election.

“I also want to speak to the comments that have been recently made by the speaker of the House,” Harris told reporters in Milwaukee. “It is just further evidence of everything that I’ve actually been talking about for months now, about [former President Donald] Trump’s intention to implement Project 2025.”

“We have talked repeatedly — and the American people know what’s in it — we’ve talked repeatedly about their intention to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. Now to get rid of the CHIPS Act,” Harris added.

Her remarks came a day after Johnson made the controversial comment at an event in New York with politically vulnerable Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y. When asked whether Republicans will seek to repeal the CHIPS Act if they win the election, Johnson replied, “I expect that we probably will,” according to a video posted by a local journalist.

Johnson’s statement led to an awkward exchange in which Williams stood next to him and disagreed. “The CHIPS Act is hugely impactful here,” Williams said, vowing to “remind” Johnson “night and day” about the importance of the law.

Johnson replied by praising Williams: “If that’s an important thing for your district, you need this guy there to make that case.”

Not long after, as the clip started to circulate, Johnson walked back his comment, saying in a statement: “As I have further explained and clarified, I fully support Micron coming to Central NY, and the CHIPS Act is not on the agenda for repeal. To the contrary, there could be legislation to further streamline and improve the primary purpose of the bill — to eliminate its costly regulations and Green New Deal requirements.”

Williams said in a statement that he spoke to Johnson after the event and the speaker “apologized profusely, saying he misheard the question.”

Later at Saturday’s press conference, Harris continued to blast Johnson and Republicans, saying the speaker walked back his comment “because it’s not popular, and their agenda is not popular.”

“And that’s why people are showing up by the thousands, tens of thousands, to talk about an agenda that actually is focused on lifting them up,” the vice president added.

She was not the first Democrat to attack Johnson for his remarks.

“Wow — Mike Johnson confirms he and Trump would repeal the CHIPS law, which is investing in new plants and manufacturing in PA, MI, NC, GA, AZ that is creating thousands of jobs,” Harris spokesperson Ian Sams posted on X on Friday.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also wrote on X, “The Republican Speaker of the House just told the tens of thousands of construction workers building New York and America’s future they want to send them pink slips ASAP.”

Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly’s spokesperson Jacob Peters also slammed Johnson, writing in a post on X, “He didn’t misunderstand anything. His only mistake was being honest.”

The CHIPS Act passed Congress on a bipartisan basis and was signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022.

It allocated $280 billion in new funding to boost domestic research and the manufacturing of semiconductors and chips. It also allocated funding for other science, technology and engineering programs.

According to the Commerce Department, the CHIPS and Science Act has led to $53 billion in spending on semiconductors; $30 billion in private sector investments, spanning 23 projects and 15 states; 16 new semiconductor plants and about 115,000 new manufacturing and construction jobs by end of 2024.

Alexandra Marquez is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.