Biden to Invoke Defense Production Act Strategically in Pandemic

The Biden Administration will take a broader look at the Defense Production Act to plug holes in the medical supply chain in anticipation of future disasters and Covid-like pandemics, going further than the Trump administration.

So far, the Korean War-era law has been used as a vehicle for government contracting, but supply consultants said the federal government hasn’t really looked at how it could be better used to shore up the pharmaceutical supply, ensure a steady production of critical items like masks and gowns, or provide loans to manufacturers.

Health workers still don’t have access to adequate personal protective equipment, ...