Press Releases

Left: Rep. Blunt Rochester meets with Brian Brooks, Senior Director of Operations, Jen Meade, Division President of Breast & Skeletal Health, and Julie Khan, VP of Government Affairs.

Right: Rep. Blunt Rochester holds a semiconductor chip during a tour of Hologic’s Newark, DE site.

NEWARK, Del. — Today, Friday, September 2, 2022, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) visited the Newark site of Hologic, a medical technology manufacturer, to discuss supply chain issues, such as the semiconductor chip shortage, impacting the production of critical medical technology. Hologic is experiencing issues in accessing enough chips to produce and maintain mammography systems. Blunt Rochester was joined by Jennifer Meade, Hologic Division President of Breast & Skeletal Health, and Hologic’s Delaware site leadership.

“The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated already existing issues with our supply chains,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “Those disruptions impacted industries all over the country, including the healthcare sector. Hologic, which manufactures top-notch mammography machines, is still unable to access semiconductor chips to run its machines. That is detrimental for women’s health services. That’s exactly why we needed to invest in the manufacturing of chips here in the U.S. so that we can rely on our American ingenuity and innovation to help Americans access the health services they need. I was proud to work alongside my colleagues in the House to get the CHIPS and Science Act passed into law last month that allocated over $50 billion to the domestic manufacturing of chips. Together, we’re on our way to fix our supply chains and bring good-paying, manufacturing jobs back to the United States so that businesses like Hologic can continue their life-saving work.”

“Ensuring a sufficient supply of semiconductor chips to manufacture and maintain the thousands of mammography systems throughout our country is critical to preventing delays in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment,” said Meade. “Efforts to improve the supply chain disruptions directly support our breast health innovation and manufacturing happening right here in Newark and we are grateful for Congresswoman Blunt Rochester’s leadership and advocacy on this important issue.” 

Hologic is a global medical technology innovator primarily focused on improving women’s health and well-being through early detection and treatment. Its advancements include invention of the world’s first commercial 3D mammography system to fight breast cancer; leadership in testing for cervical cancer, sexually transmitted infections, respiratory illnesses, and the virus that causes COVID-19; and minimally invasive surgical technologies for uterine fibroids and abnormal uterine bleeding. The company maintains about 85% of the nation’s life-saving 3D screening machines. and is currently expanding its Newark, DE Center of Innovation, where mammography systems and other breast and skeletal health products are manufactured. The company has 160 current employees and will be adding 225 with the expansion. Construction will be complete at the end of 2024, early 2025.

In February, Blunt Rochester sent a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra expressing concern over the impact the semiconductor chip shortage is having on the medical technology industry. In July, Blunt Rochester voted to passthe CHIPS and Science Act that includes $52 million in funding for semiconductor chip incentives to spur the domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips that Americans rely on in everything from their cell phones to their cars, to household appliances. President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law on August 9, 2022. 

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