To direct the President to use authority under the Defense Production Act of 1950 to ensure an adequate supply of equipment necessary for limiting the spread of COVID-19.

To direct the President to use authority under the Defense Production Act of 1950 to ensure an adequate supply of equipment necessary for limiting the spread of COVID-19. 1. Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) The global shortage of medical supplies due to the COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed healthcare systems around the world and threatens to collapse the United States healthcare system. (2) There are approximately 160,000 ventilators in the United States. (3) It has been estimated that as many as 742,000 could be needed. (4) The Department of Health and Human Services estimated that healthcare providers may need 3,500,000,000 face masks to meet potential long-term need. 2. Use of Defense Production Act authority for equipment necessary for limiting spread of COVID-19 (a) In general Immediately upon the enactment of this Act, the President shall— (1) determine under section 101(b) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 ( 50 U.S.C. 4511(b) (A) medical equipment described in paragraph (3)(B) is scarce and critical material essential to the national defense; and (B) the requirements of the national defense for such equipment cannot be met without exercising the authorities provided by the Defense Production Act of 1950 ( 50 U.S.C. 4501 (2) identify private sector capacity to produce such equipment; and (3) exercise the authorities provided by the Defense Production Act of 1950 to the extent necessary— (A) to mitigate, where possible, the dependency of the United States on overseas sources of supply of each such materials during the global shortage; and (B) to ensure the immediate adequacy of productive capacity and supply of ventilators, N–95 masks and other essential personal protective equipment needed to address the COVID-19 crisis, including at least— (i) 600,000 ventilators; and (ii) 300,000,000 N–95 masks. (b) Reports Beginning on the date of the declaration of a national pandemic or the declaration of a public health emergency and ending on the date that is 7 days after the termination of such pandemic or emergency, the head of the agency coordinating the National response to the pandemic or emergency, shall submit to Congress weekly reports on— (1) the status of the production of equipment, ventilators, and medical protective gear; (2) available resources; and (3) the plan for the distribution of equipment, ventilators, and medical protective gear. (c) Termination This section, and authorities carried out pursuant to this section, shall terminate on the date on which the national emergency declared under the National Emergencies Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1601

Summary: This bill directs the President to use existing authorities under the Defense Production Act of 1950 to ensure the supply of ventilators, N-95 respirator masks, and other personal protective equipment to address COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). (That act confers upon the President a broad set of authorities to influence domestic industry in order to provide essential materials and goods needed for the national defense.) The President must (1) make a determination that the ventilators and protective equipment are essential for the national defense; (2) identify private-sector capacity to produce such equipment; and (3) exercise authorities under the act to mitigate, where possible, the dependency of the United States on overseas sources and to ensure the supply of such equipment. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the agency coordinating the response shall submit weekly reports to Congress on the status and distribution of such equipment.