Q&A: Todd Young talks chips, pipelines and Trump

Why the senator who carried the CHIPS Act believes big semiconductor news is coming soon for Indiana … and that water concerns will be sorted out, too. Plus, courtroom drama in Delphi case. And more.

Just so happened that U.S. Sen. Todd Young was heading from West Lafayette to Frankfort for a stop at Frito-Lay plant Monday. Chips were the theme of the day.

Young, an Indiana Republican, authored and carried the CHIPS and Science Act, legislation passed in 2022 that puts $52 billion toward planting semiconductor research and manufacturing across the country.

Sen. Todd Young. (Photo: Dave Bangert)

And with the potential for semiconductor driving so much news around here – Purdue’s push to position itself as a leading university in semiconductor research; the Indiana Economic Development Commission’s chase of a $50 billion facility for the LEAP District in Lebanon; the blowback on a proposed water pipeline carrying tens of millions of gallons of groundwater from western Tippecanoe County to feed the industry, if it lands – chips drove the conversation Monday, too, in a West Side coffee shop.

A few upshots: Young is confident water questions will be sorted out and believes Indiana is in for some huge announcements on the semiconductor front this year.

This interview was edited in places and annotated for clarity.

Question: First off, this whole CHIPS Act, is it rolling out fast enough for you? Where do we stand in terms of what your expectations were going in?