IV 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 906 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 23, 2020 Mr. Levin of Michigan (for himself, Ms. Spanberger , Ms. Porter , Mr. Kildee , Ms. DeGette , Mr. Ted Lieu of California , Ms. Sherrill , Mr. Chabot , Mr. Gonzalez of Ohio , Mr. Bacon , Mr. Upton , Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois , Mr. Taylor , and Mr. Huizenga ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services RESOLUTION Calling on the President to invoke the Defense Production Act to respond to COVID-19.

Whereas the Defense Production Act of 1950 originated from World War II authorities and confers an array of authorities to shape national defense preparedness programs ; Whereas the United States currently faces severe shortages of medical supplies necessary to respond to the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, such as materials needed to test for COVID-19, ventilators and personal protective equipment; Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging healthcare systems to implement strategies to conserve supplies ; Whereas, on February 29, 2020, the New York Times reported that a 2005 Federal study estimated that mechanical ventilators for 740,000 critically ill people would be necessary in the event of a severe flu pandemic, and today, as the country faces the possibility of a widespread outbreak of a new respiratory infection caused by the coronavirus, there are nowhere near that many ventilators, and most are already in use ; and Whereas failure to massively upscale the supplies available to protect Americans, test for new cases of COVID-19, and treat people who test positive could result in even more severe shortages that force health care workers to make harrowing choices and endanger American lives: Now, therefore, be it