President Joe Biden will be signing an executive order on Wednesday to address a global semiconductor chip shortage, according to media reports. 

The shortage has forced automobile companies and other manufacturers to dramatically cut down on production, alarming members of Congress and the White House, reported Reuters. 

Biden will be meeting a bipartisan group of US lawmakers on Wednesday to discuss the scarcity which has evidently intensified following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Also Read: Merrick Garland answers sensitive questions in his Senate confirmation hearing

As per administration officials, the order will launch an immediate 100-day review of supply chains. The critical products to be reviewed are semiconductor chips, rare earth minerals, large-capacity batteries for electric vehicles and pharmaceuticals.

“Make no mistake, we’re not simply planning to order up reports. We are planning to take actions to close gaps as we identify them,” said the administrative official. 

Modelled as the process used by the Defense Department to strengthen the defence industrial base, the order will be review six sectors- public health, defence,  communications technology,  food production and transportation. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the supply and availability of essentials such as gloves, masks, and other personal protective gears majorly affecting frontline workers in the US. 

Also Read: Biden declares Canada ‘best friend’, Trudeau says US leadership has been sorely missed

As per the Semiconductor Industry Association, U.S. semiconductor firms account for 47% of global chip sales but only 12% of production, because they have outsourced much of the manufacturing overseas. 

The shortage of semiconductor chips has caused quite a stir. Ford Motor Co recently said that the shortage of these chips could force the company to cut down its production by 20% in the first quarter. General Motors has already cut down its production output at their US, Mexico and Canada factories. The company will be reassessing its production plans in mid-March. 

U.S. Representative Michael McCaul said in a recent letter sent to the White House, “I strongly urge Biden administration to prioritize protecting emerging and critical technologies, like semiconductors, from the grasp of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party).” The letter was sent from the Republicans on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.