White House Convenes Summit To Address Supply Shortage Crippling Auto Plants

President Biden holds a semiconductor during remarks before signing an Executive Order on the economy at the White House on Feb. 24. On Monday, senior members of his team will meet with leaders across various industries to discuss a shortage of semi-conductors.

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President Biden’s top national security and economic advisers are trying to address a critical supply crunch that is slowing U.S. automobile manufacturing and threatens other sectors, including national security, according to experts.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan, National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will meet Monday with executives from 19 companies to discuss the growing shortage of semiconductors, a key component of many computerized electronics.

The shortage touches nearly every industry, but U.S. automakers have been especially hit hard. General Motors, Ford and Stellantis (formed by a merger involving Fiat Chrysler) have all temporarily closed down auto plants as the companies wait for more supplies of the parts needed for increasingly computerized cars.