Why It Matters

The Global Electronics Association filed its first-quarter 2026 in-house lobbying disclosure, reporting $350,000 in lobbying activity. The filing covers five issue areas: Defense Production Act funding for printed circuit board manufacturing, defense electronics industrial base investments, domestic electronics manufacturing, tax policy, and tariff impacts.

The U.S. electronics manufacturing sector faces a well-documented supply chain vulnerability. According to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, the American share of global printed circuit board (PCB) production has fallen from 30 percent in 2000 to roughly four percent today. The Global Electronics Association's lobbying disclosure reflects an effort to secure federal funding, tax incentives, and trade relief that could help reverse that trend. The legislative path runs through appropriations, defense authorization, and tax legislation, all of which are active in the current Congress.

By the Numbers

The first-quarter 2026 filing is one of three disclosures filed this quarter on behalf of the Global Electronics Association. The other two were filed by outside firms: Squire Patton Boggs and Salt Point Strategies LLC. The in-house filing covers $350,000, down from $380,000 reported in each of the prior three quarters.

The in-house lobbying team consists of two lobbyists. Chris Mitchell is a veteran of the association's lobbying operation, having filed on its behalf across eight disclosures dating back to mid-2024, totaling $2,640,000 in reported activity. His congressional background includes staff roles in the House for Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) and Rep. Michael M. Honda (D-CA). The second lobbyist on the in-house filing does not have a named entry in the disclosure record. This is the first filing in which that lobbyist appears.

The association has maintained a consistent three-track lobbying structure, with in-house staff, Squire Patton Boggs, and Salt Point Strategies all filing separately each quarter. That structure has been in place since at least the second quarter of 2025.

The Agenda

The Global Electronics Association's First Quarter lobbying disclosure identifies five specific issue areas:

  • Defense Production Act Funding for PCB Manufacturing in FY27 Appropriations - The association is lobbying on budget and appropriations matters related to PCB manufacturing under the Defense Production Act, with a focus on fiscal year 2027 funding.
  • Defense Electronics Industrial Base Investments Through DPA Title III - The filing cites DPA Title III, the section of the law that authorizes the federal government to invest in domestic industrial capacity for national security purposes.
  • Issues Related to Domestic Electronics Manufacturing - A broader manufacturing issue area covering the domestic electronics sector.
  • Taxes Affecting Domestic Electronics Manufacturing, Including H.R. 3597 - The disclosure specifically names H.R. 3597, the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act, which would establish a 25 percent federal tax credit for purchases of U.S.-manufactured circuit boards and integrated circuit substrates. The bill was introduced in May 2025 and is currently referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
  • Tariff Impact on Electronics Manufacturing - The association is lobbying on trade issues related to how the current tariff policy affects the electronics manufacturing sector.

Broader Context

The legislative backdrop for this lobbying disclosure filing is active. H.R. 3597 was introduced in May 2025 by Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) as a bipartisan measure to incentivize domestic PCB and integrated circuit substrate production. The bill authorizes $3 billion in funding through fiscal year 2065 and includes grants administered by the Commerce Department.

On the defense appropriations front, Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, opened FY27 defense budget hearings in April 2026. That process is directly relevant to the association's lobbying on DPA funding for PCB manufacturing in the FY27 cycle.

The Defense Production Act itself is also a subject of congressional attention. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) held a hearing in May 2025 emphasizing the DPA's role in securing defense supply chains. Senator Elizabeth Warren also called for DPA reauthorization ahead of a September lapse, citing the need to reshore critical supply chains.

The tariff environment has added urgency to the electronics industry lobbying landscape. In January 2026, the White House issued a presidential action adjusting imports of semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. An April 2026 House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the administration's trade policy agenda drew member statements linking tariffs to manufacturing job losses and sector-specific cost pressures.

An active Department of Defense grant opportunity for DPA Title III expansion of domestic PCB production capacity is listed as open through July 12, 2026, indicating ongoing federal investment activity in the space the association is lobbying on.

Competitive Landscape

The Global Electronics Association is not alone in lobbying on H.R. 3597 and related PCB manufacturing issues. TTM Technologies Inc. has filed multiple disclosures covering PCB provisions and defense appropriations, with quarterly amounts ranging from $110,000 to $130,000. The Printed Circuit Board Association of America has also filed on domestic PCB production issues, reporting $30,000 to $50,000 per quarter. Sanmina Corp. has lobbied on DPA funding and a prior-Congress version of the PCB tax credit legislation.

The Bottom Line

The Global Electronics Association's first-quarter 2026 lobbying disclosure reflects a sustained, multi-track effort to advance federal support for domestic PCB and electronics manufacturing. The agenda spans appropriations, defense industrial base investment, tax incentives, and trade policy. Congressional activity on all of these fronts is ongoing, and the association's lobbying footprint, while slightly smaller this quarter than in recent periods, remains substantial.

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