15 U.S.C. § 4622
Establishment of semiconductor manufacturing technology research initiative
The Secretary of Energy shall initiate and carry out a program (hereinafter in this subchapter referred to as the “Initiative”) of research on semiconductor manufacturing technology and on the practical applications of such technology. The Secretary may carry out the Initiative in a way that complements the activities of a consortium of United States semiconductor manufacturers, materials manufacturers, and equipment manufacturers, established for the purpose of conducting research concerning advanced semiconductor manufacturing techniques and developing techniques to adopt manufacturing expertise to a variety of semiconductor products.