WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va) joined Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 (NDAA) that would require President Trump to unlock the full authority and power of the Defense Production Act to scale up nation-wide production of the testing supplies, personal protective equipment, and medical equipment needed at the local level to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“New coronavirus cases are rising in states across the country, which means we need more testing supplies, more testing, and more personal protective equipment for workers on the frontlines of this pandemic,” said Senator Baldwin. “President Trump’s response to this pandemic has been a failure of leadership, so this amendment will force action to increase national production of testing supplies, personal protective equipment, and medical equipment needed to save lives.”

The amendment includes legislation she introduced in April with Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT). The Medical Supply Transparency and Delivery Act requires the president to utilize all available authorities under the Defense Production Act to mobilize a federal response to the pandemic through an equitable and transparent process. Key parts of Baldwin’s legislation are included in the House-passed HEROES Act, but the Republican majority in the Senate has failed to take action on the legislation.

In addition to Sen. Warner, the amendment is cosponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Doug Jones (D-AL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). 

The NDAA is being considered on the Senate floor this week.

The full amendment is available here.

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