Defense Production Act

Lawmakers to Biden: Prioritize U.S. maritime

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Senator Mark Kelly (D.-Ariz) and Rep. Mike Walz (R. Fla), have written President Biden urging him to prioritize U.S. maritime and strengthen U.S. maritime power at a moment when China is extending its influence in the South China Sea and the Houthis are attacking shipping in the Red Sea.

Significantly, the letter is not just another call for more Navy ships.

Kelly, a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduate and 25-year Navy veteran, and Walz, a combat-decorated...

https://www.marinelog.com/news/lawmakers-to-biden-prioritize-u-s-maritime/

Bubs baby formula from Australia gets FDA import approval

Twin babies on their back being fed from bottles.

The Biden administration on Friday took two more actions aimed at alleviating a critical domestic shortage of baby formula.

The Food and Drug Administration gave the green light to an Australian company to import its baby formula after relaxing strict regulatory requirements aimed at alleviating a critical domestic shortage. Also, Xavier Becerra, the Health and Human Services secretary, invoked the Defense Production Act for the third time in less than a week to help Cargill deliver raw...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/bubs-baby-formula-from-australia-gets-fda-import-approval

Biden launches emergency airlift to pick up overseas baby formula

Cargo on a pallet waiting to be loaded onto a plane labeled Western Global, cargo door open on sunny day.

President Joe Biden late Wednesday mobilized an airlift of infant formula from foreign countries to the U.S. and ordered suppliers to prioritize formula manufacturers to address a severe domestic shortage that has panicked parents nationwide.

The White House said it has launched Operation Fly Formula to speed the import of baby formula and get it to stores as soon as possible. 

Biden directed the departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture to use Defense Department commercial...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/biden-launches-emergency-airlift-to-pick-up-overseas-baby-formula

US removes Defense Production Act ratings for some vaccines

The U.S. recently removed priority ratings from vaccine orders from Novavax, AstraZeneca and Sanofi. (Photo: Novavax)

This is an excerpt from Medically Necessary, a health care supply chain newsletter. Subscribe here.

The decision: Last week, the U.S. announced it was removing the priority ratings issued under the Defense Production Act for vaccines made by Sanofi, AstraZeneca and Novavax. Orders for other vaccines remain prioritized.

The Defense Production Act, or DPA, allows the president to place priority ratings on government orders, which compels companies to accept and prioritize those orders.  Companies...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-removes-defense-production-act-ratings-for-some-vaccines

Biden signs executive order to strengthen COVID supply chains

Shortages in COVID-19-related equipment and vaccines have prompted an executive order from President Joe Biden to address urgent supply gaps by coordinating, monitoring and strengthening supply chains.

The executive order, called A Sustainable Public Health Supply Chain and signed on Thursday, was one of a flurry of presidential actions issued by Biden after he was sworn in on Wednesday.

The order directs federal agencies “to fill supply shortfalls using all available legal authorities, including...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/biden-signs-executive-order-to-strengthen-covid-supply-chains

White House Considers Defense Production Act Authorities

President Donald J. Trump, joined members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, listens to a reporter’s question during a coronavirus update briefing on March 16, 2020. White House Photo

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will use the Defense Production Act, referring to authorities granted to the executive branch in 1950, to ensure U.S. industries have the support needed to produce critical equipment to help stem the spread of COVID-19.

“We’ll be invoking the Defense Production Act,...

https://news.usni.org/2020/03/18/white-house-considers-defense-production-act-authorities