Trump and FEMA chief contradict each other on Defense Production Act

[Elderberry]

CNN 3/24/2020 By Kristen Holmes and Kaitlan Collins

President Donald Trump and the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator contradicted each other within minutes Tuesday morning on whether the Defense Production Act is being used in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Around 8 a.m. Tuesday, Trump tweeted, "The Defense Production Act is in full force, but haven't had to use it because no one has said NO! Millions of masks coming as back up to States."

Minutes later, FEMA administrator Pete Gaynor told CNN the administration will start wielding the powers in the Defense Production Act for 60,000 tests kits and "use the allocation portion of the DPA" starting today.

"Just a little while ago my team came in and we're actually going to use the DPA for first time today," Gaynor said.

In addition, FEMA will "insert some language into these mask contracts we have of 500 million masks," Gaynor said. "DPA language will be in that today."

More: https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/24/politics/defense-production-act-trump-gaynor-fema/index.html

[Cyber Liberty]

Oh boy!!  We got 'im now!^®

[skeeter]

Trump said we haven't had to use it, FEMA chief says we're soon going to use it for the first time.

Regardless of the details of this situation the headlines are inaccurate. As usual. This is CNN.

[Elderberry]

Why Trump Isn’t Using The Defense Production Act

Defense One by  Katie Bo Williams 3/23/2020

https://www.defenseone.com/politics/2020/03/why-trump-isnt-using-defense-production-act/164021/

For a week, President Donald Trump has frustrated state governors and local lawmakers by insisting that he was using the Defense Production Act to boost production and improve allocation of badly needed medical supplies amid the spreading coronavirus crisis.

But pressed on whether the administration was using either of the act’s two main authorities to compel companies to help or to direct supplies to the worst-hit epicenters, officials were vague.

On Sunday, Trump and trade policy director Peter Navarro acknowledged that although the president signed an executive order last week nominally invoking the act, his administration is not using any of the emergency powers that it grants.

Pressure Rises

Governors and other state officials on the front lines of the coronavirus response aren’t buying it. Bidding wars on scarce equipment are pitting state against state, slowing the arrival of vital gear to some hard-hit areas and making it more expensive for all, state officials say. Some blame federal inaction, and want Trump to use his DPA authority to allocate resources under price caps.

More at link.