Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) recently reintroduced a measure they said is designed to bolster domestic personal protective equipment (PPE) production.
The Make PPE in America Act would enhance efforts to onshore production of personal protective equipment (PPE), hereby requiring the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to issue long-term contracts for American-made PPE.
Additionally, the lawmakers maintain reshoring production ensures American workers, students, healthcare professionals, and others have the PPE needed as the economy continues to reopen.
“Our reliance on foreign manufacturers for masks, gloves, and respirators presents an ongoing and concerning national security risk,” Peters, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said. “While the Biden Administration has made progress on this issue by fully activating the Defense Production Act and other mechanisms to help boost PPE production, there is more work to do. I have long raised the alarm about this ongoing problem, and it is critical that we continue incentivizing workers and companies in Michigan and across the country to manufacture PPE so we create jobs and improve our response to the ongoing and future pandemics.”
Portman said the COVID-19 pandemic has made it evident American’s should not have to rely on foreign countries for personal protective equipment.
“When I talk to PPE manufacturers about re-shoring this production to America, the number one thing I hear is the need for long-term contracts,” he said. “Multi-year contracts give producers the certainty to know that their investment in the United States will be worth it because the government will be there to buy the PPE they produce. By re-shoring production of PPE, we can continue to support a safe and effective reopening of our schools, workplaces, and the economy.”