,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #fdaj  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,march #bg1 #bjbj,mr4
 ,larson of ,connecticut introduced the 
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,financial ,services  
,a ,,bill  ,to direct the ,president to 
use authority under the ,defense        
,production ,act of #aiej to ensure an  
adequate supply of equipment necessary  
for limiting the spread of ,,covid-#ai4 
#a4 ,findings ,congress makes the       
following findings3 7#a7 ,the global    
shortage of medical supplies due to the 
,,covid-#ai pandemic has paralyzed      
healthcare systems around the world and 
threatens to collapse the ,united       
,states healthcare system4  7#b7 ,there 
are approximately #afj1jjj ventilators  
in the ,united ,states4  7#c7 ,it has   
been estimated that as many as #gdb1jjj 
could be needed4  7#d7 ,the ,department 
of ,health and ,human ,services         
estimated that healthcare providers may 
need #c1ejj1jjj1jjj face masks to meet  

potential long-term need4  #b4 ,use of  
,defense ,production ,act authority for 
equipment necessary for limiting spread 
of ,,covid-#ai  7a7 ,in general         
,immediately upon the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,president shall-- 7#a7       
determine under section #aja7;b7 of the 
,defense ,production ,act of #aiej 7#ej 
,u4,s4,c4 #deaa7;b77 that-- 7,a7 medical
 equipment described in paragraph       
7#c77;,b7 is scarce and critical        
material essential to the national      
defense2 and  7,b7 the requirements of  
the national defense for such equipment 
cannot be met without exercising the    
authorities provided by the ,defense    
,production ,act of #aiej 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4
 #deja et seq472  7#b7 identify private 
sector capacity to produce such         
equipment2 and  7#c7 exercise the       
authorities provided by the ,defense    
,production ,act of #aiej to the extent 
necessary-- 7,a7 to mitigate1 where     
possible1 the dependency of the ,united 
,states on overseas sources of supply of

 each such materials during the global  
shortage2 and  7,b7 to ensure the       
immediate adequacy of productive        
capacity and supply of ventilators1     
,n-#ie masks and other essential        
personal protective equipment needed to 
address the ,,covid-#ai crisis1         
including at least-- 7i7 #fjj1jjj       
ventilators2 and  7ii7 #cjj1jjj1jjj     
,n-#ie masks4  7b7 ,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 #g days after the      
termination of such pandemic or         
emergency1 the head of the agency       
coordinating the ,national response to  
the pandemic or emergency1 shall submit 
to ,congress weekly reports on-- 7#a7   
the status of the production of         
equipment1 ventilators1 and medical     
protective gear2  7#b7 available        
resources2 and  7#c7 the plan for the   
distribution of equipment1 ventilators1 
and medical protective gear4  7c7       

,termination ,this section1 and         
authorities carried out pursuant to this
 section1 shall terminate on the date on
 which the national emergency declared  
under the ,national ,emergencies ,act   
7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq471 relating 
to the ,,covid-#ai outbreak1 terminates4