Trump invokes Defense Production Act, industries mass producing health items
The Center Square
(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump said Friday he’s activated his authority under the Defense Production Act (DPA) to help protect the country to require certain manufacturers to produce much-needed health care equipment.
At a Friday news briefing on the coronavirus pandemic, Trump said private sector industries are cooperating with the federal government to mass produce items like ventilators and medical masks.
“We have millions of masks that are coming,” Trump said. “They will be here soon. They will be should be shipped directly to states.”
States across the country have said their hospitals and other medical facilities are drastically short of medical masks and other personal protection equipment, putting front-line health care workers at risk as the number of coronavirus cases rises.
Trump praised the private sector for cooperating with the federal government.
“We are literally being beseiged by companies that want to help us out,” Trump said.
The DPA allows the federal government to direct industries to produce necessary equipment. Trump invoked the DPA Wednesday, but said then he wasn’t immediately ready to activate it. He said Friday that he did so Thursday night.