Why It Matters

Applied Materials is lobbying hard on several high-priority legislative initiatives moving through Congress:

By the Numbers

Applied Materials filed an in-house lobbying disclosure for Q3 2025 reporting $860,000 in expenditures. The company supplements internal advocacy with a portfolio of specialized external firms. Since 2003, Applied Materials has filed 78 in-house lobbying disclosures with total expenditures exceeding $24.7 million.

Key external lobbying partners and their focus areas:

The Q3 2025 in-house filing does not list individual in-house lobbyists, making detailed background analysis unavailable.

The Agenda

Applied Materials’ primary focus areas include taxation and tax policy—particularly R&D tax credits, corporate tax reform, and solar investment tax credits—covered across 77 disclosures. Trade policy is equally central, with the company advocating on U.S.-China trade relations, export control regulations, tariff policies, and multilateral agreements, also featured in 77 disclosures.
Applied Materials has also prioritized budget and appropriations in 65 disclosures, seeking federal funding for advanced manufacturing and semiconductor technology programs through the Department of Defense and Department of Energy. Additionally, the company has lobbied on high-skilled immigration reform in 38 disclosures, supporting measures to ensure access to talented workforce.

Currently, Applied Materials’ lobbying aligns with several active legislative efforts in the 119th Congress, including the SEMI Investment Act, which would expand advanced manufacturing investment tax credits to include materials and substrates for semiconductor production, and the STAR Act of 2025, which proposes adding semiconductor design expenditures to investment credits. Supply chain security legislation such as the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act and the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act of 2025 also align with the company’s advocacy priorities.

Broader Context

Congress is intensifying its focus on domestic semiconductor manufacturing, supply chain resilience, and technology competition with China—creating significant policy momentum aligned with Applied Materials’ core interests. The Trump administration has threatened 100% tariffs on imported semiconductors while offering exemptions for companies investing in U.S. manufacturing capacity, driving substantial demand for semiconductor equipment. Simultaneously, bipartisan legislation is advancing to expand tax incentives for the semiconductor supply chain, including the SEMI Investment Act and the STAR Act of 2025, which would broaden credits to materials suppliers and design activities.

Congressional hearings have emphasized the need for strengthened export controls on advanced chips to China, workforce development through immigration reform, and domestic materials processing capabilities. Multiple bills addressing supply chain security and export controls are also moving through Congress, including the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act and the No Advanced Chips for the CCP Act of 2025. This legislative environment represents both opportunity and complexity for Applied Materials, as tariff policies could boost equipment demand while export controls may constrain certain market segments.

Between The Lines

Congress is intensifying focus on semiconductor manufacturing resilience through multiple legislative pathways. The SEMI Investment Act aims to expand advanced manufacturing tax credits to include materials suppliers, while the STAR Act of 2025 proposes adding semiconductor design to investment credits. Supply chain security bills like the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act and its House companion seek to attract foreign direct investment into U.S. manufacturing.

Meanwhile, export control legislation including the No Advanced Chips for the CCP Act and China Technology Transfer Control Act is advancing. Recent congressional hearings on export controls and supply chain modernization emphasized workforce development and domestic materials processing. Bipartisan members like Senators Blackburn, Bennet, Tillis, and Coons are actively promoting semiconductor manufacturing incentives, while Senator Peters celebrated passage of supply chain security measures.

Competitive Landscape

Applied Materials operates within a competitive field of semiconductor equipment and materials suppliers actively lobbying Congress on overlapping policy priorities. ASM America Inc. is lobbying on export control regulations and CHIPS Act tax provisions, while also educating policymakers on wafer processing technology. KLA Corp., a major competitor, focuses on Export Control Reform Act implementation, incentives for U.S. manufacturing, and China trade policy. Micron Technology Inc. is lobbying on federal permitting for fabrication facilities and manufacturing tax credits.

The overlapping priorities across these companies demonstrate unified industry advocacy for domestic manufacturing support, expanded R&D incentives, and stable trade and export control policies.

The Bottom Line

Applied Materials’ Q3 2025 lobbying spending of $860,000 reflects the company’s participation in a broader industry-wide advocacy effort focused on semiconductor manufacturing incentives and supply chain resilience. Applied Materials does however face competition from other major semiconductor equipment manufacturers pursuing similar policy objectives.

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