| The Trump administration quietly invoked the Defense Production Act which gives federal officials the power to edge out the competition and force contractors to provide supplies to them before filling orders for other customers. While it’s unclear how many times the power has been used during the coronavirus pandemic, federal contracting records examined by Kaiser Health News show that federal authorities staked first rights to $137 million in medical supplies. This law forces 3M to fill its contract to the U.S. first. Firms face fines or jail time if they don’t comply. 3M stated in a press release Friday there would be humanitarian implications, since the company supplies a critical amount of those countries’ N95 masks. 3M also warned such a move could create a potential trade war. “It’s like ‘Lord of the Flies’ out there for states and hospitals as they bid against each other for critical medical supplies and equipment,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said in a statement. “Plus, there’s no transparency about what the federal government is doing with the equipment that they purchase when they outbid states and hospitals.” |
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