7/22/20: New Bipartisan House Bill Helps States Increase Supplies for COVID and Other Disasters

New Bipartisan House Bill Helps States Increase Supplies for COVID and Other Disasters

Congress is now fully focused on the Aid Bill and its contents are largely unknown.

But here’s one bipartisan proposal getting interest from both sides and both chambers. And it’s being spearheaded by a nonprofit started after Katrina to help in times like these.

Contact: Ben Smilowitz, Executive Director, Disaster Accountability Project
Cell: 314-761-7631, ben@disasteraccountability.org

We have House and Senate bills drafted for The State Emergency Production Act of 2020 and we’ve engaged relevant committees in the U.S. House and Senate.

It’s bipartisan. We’ve talked to Sen. Cornyn, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy. We have interest in both the House and Senate and on both sides of the aisle.

This proposal does not require new funds. There is no new authorization required.

This policy solution is bigger than COVID – it will help states source and produce more in-state goods after hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes and other disasters.

What this proposal achieves:

• Gives states the ability to prioritize and produce by extending limited Defense Production Act authorities to states for use during federally declared disasters or emergencies or with a federal waiver.

• States will be able to buy directly from in-state producers on priority, saving precious tax payer dollars.

• States will be able to increase in-state production of critical goods and sell surplus to other states, increasing national supply, strengthening states’ economies, adding jobs, and ultimately reducing prices.

• Allows states to more effectively lead.

Why Congress must address PPE in the current COVID aid package:
• Shortages are causing costs to increase and delaying test results.

• There is tremendous demand: schools, businesses, hospitals, medical offices, fire departments, and more.

• Without action by Congress before early August, we may not have another chance to pass substantive federal legislation before elections in November.

• Failure to increase production will result in significant spread, more infection spikes around the country, and the economies in most states will struggle to reopen.

Background:

This legislative effort is spearheaded by the nonprofit Disaster Accountability Project, an organization started after Hurricane Katrina to save lives and reduce suffering after disasters by maximizing the impact of preparedness, response and relief through citizen oversight and engagement, policy research and advocacy, and public education.

Disaster Accountability Project and SmartResponse are supported by the generous donations of individuals, private foundations and corporations. Both are fully independent of the disaster relief community.