Necessary response to mobilize US economy to fight pandemic
Washington. The Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) strongly supports the Trump administration’s executive order enabling the Defense Production Act to mobilize the economy to fight the coronavirus. The pandemic has revealed economic weaknesses arising from excessive dependence on China and other countries for medical, drug and other critical production.
“It is absolutely essential that the United States rapidly restore its ability to manufacture needed health and medical products – the Defense Production Act will allow for this rapid mobilization of our industrial base,” said CPA Chair Dan DiMicco. “For too long, our nation has been reliant on China’s dictatorial regime to supply the products used in everyday life. The coronavirus outbreak has demonstrated the foolhardiness of relying on a strategic competitor. We are grateful to President Trump and his team for taking steps to rapidly restore critical manufacturing in the United States.”
The Defense Production Act of 1950, enabled by President Trump’s executive order, allows the government to directly contract with industry for needed supplies. It also provides broad powers to mobilize the civilian economy to ensure that scarce or critical products are produced in sufficient quantities.
CPA’s CEO Michael Stumo said, “The coronavirus pandemic reveals that excessive offshoring has weakened our ability to respond to a crisis. Our members stand ready to work with the administration to restore sectors that are critical for America’s economic and national security.”
