Trump invokes Defense Production Act as coronavirus response
By Jessie Hellmann - 03/18/20 12:19 PM EDT
President Trump announced Wednesday he will invoke the Defense Production Act, which would allow the administration to force American industry to ramp up production of medical supplies that are in short supply in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
“It can do a lot of good things if we need it,†Trump said during a White House briefing with reporters.
Hospitals and states have pleaded with the administration for more supplies to protect doctors and nurses on the frontlines of the pandemic.
Many health workers have said they are quickly running out of personal protective equipment, like masks and gowns, that are crucial to ensuring they don’t get sick. Hospitals are also sounding the alarm on the lack of ventilators, or breathing machines, that are expected to be in high demand as the coronavirus spreads in the coming weeks and months.
More than 200,000 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed worldwide, including 6,500 cases in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University. Of the 115 people who have died in the U.S., most were elderly or had underlying health conditions.
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https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/488226-trump-invokes-defense-production-act-as-coronavirus-response
