The Defense Production Act of 1950, as Amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2061 et seq.)

 
This is the full text of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended. Last updated date is September 2009.
 
https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/15666

Here are a few key words, unedited by the Trump White House loyalists; sorry folks, can't edit the pdf document:

"Sec. 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY [50 U.S.C. App. § 2062]

(a) Findings

Congress finds that—

(1) the security of the United States is dependent on the ability of the domestic

industrial base to supply materials and services for the national defense and to prepare for and

respond to military conflicts, natural or man-caused disasters, or acts of terrorism within the

United States;

(2) to ensure the vitality of the domestic industrial base, actions are needed—

(A) to promote industrial resources preparedness in the event of domestic or

foreign threats to the security of the United States;

(B) to support continuing improvements in industrial efficiency and

responsiveness;

(C) to provide for the protection and restoration of domestic critical

infrastructure operations under emergency conditions; and . . . "

Wartime Production Law Has Been Used Routinely, but Not With Coronavirus
The Defense Production Act has been invoked hundreds of thousands of times in the Trump years. But with the pandemic, the president sees it as a “break the glass” last resort.

By Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Ana Swanson  March 31, 2020

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/31/us/politics/coronavirus-defense-production-act.html

Trump Is Using the Defense Production Act All Wrong
Yes, we need to mobilize industry to make masks. There’s a better way to make it happen.

By CALEB WATNEY and ALEC STAPP  -  04/09/2020 04:30 AM EDT

https://www.politico.com/news/agenda/2020/04/09/trump-defense-production-act-175920

" . . . nationalization is hugely inefficient. The government doesn’t know which specific factories have the lowest costs to adapt production processes to start producing masks or ventilators. The government can’t figure out what quantity of medical goods is optimal for each specific factory to produce, given local labor supply and existing infrastructure constraints. Government officials can’t know which simple modifications to the designs of these medical goods would enable manufacturers to ramp up production more quickly.
 
A better idea is to harness market signals and amplify them using the purchasing power of the federal government. And it turns out that there’s another section of the DPA — Title III — that can make that happen using purchase guarantees. If paired with targeted deregulation, massive purchase guarantees can act as a multiplier on American manufacturing capacity.

In other words, instead of deciding which companies or factories should take on this production, the government can provide market incentives that allow the best, most efficient companies to step up to the challenge – faster than the alternative."

Why the U.S. Needs an Industrial Policy
byRobert B. Reich - From the January 1982 Issue of Harvard Business Review

https://hbr.org/1982/01/why-the-us-needs-an-industrial-policy

The key is whether American Government can work for the common economic good, or are we too inclined to make our decisions based on our politics?

Industrial Policy Protectionism
The Genesis of Industrial Policy
Governmental economic planning schemes are bound to be influenced more by political than by economic criteria.

https://fee.org/articles/the-genesis-of-industrial-policy//amp

Five threats to US food supply chains
By Niv Elis - 04/22/20

https://thehill.com/homenews/news/494014-five-threats-to-us-food-supply-chains

Virus outbreaks at food plants

Agricultural reliance on guest workers

Supply chain mismatches

Increased food insecurity

Crunch on delivery capacity

Those are five items the fed gov can help.

Is studied military planning and logistics for war, and see applications of the materials I was provided to the current pandemic. 

I also think common sense tell us all that the way the Federal Government is handling the covid-19 crisis thru stimulus packages is not creative and may do more harm t the economy than good.  Here are three examples of creative, targeted solutions:

1. during the covid-19 crisis the Fed Gov should buy all the farm produce and milk (milk can be reduced to powder form - just add water and refrigerate), that we see on TV that is being trashed / destroyed / plowed under.  Put these goods in strategic / national reserves, but do not forget these NATIONAL reserves include American STATES.

2. the fed gov can write contracts that keep key companies viable at all times, like Prestige, the mask makers, where China makes masks for 2 cents, but Prestige needs 10 cents.  The fed gov ponies up 8 cents.  This solution for a direct need is easier than figuring out complex stimulus packages.

3. if industries determined to be essential to win a war, as in the covid-19 war, feel they are not competitive with international labor rates, and tempted to move outside the USA for cheaper labor, the fed gov can subsidize the labor rates differential enough to keep the companies stateside.  Yes, GOP, conservatives, this is "socialist," but it helps the USA as much as other socialist programs funded by our tax dollars like the Department of Defense, Medicare, Social Security, national highways, public schools, etc.

4. if the fed gov wants the states to step up to do more during each crisis, each emergency and disaster, tell the Governors today.  Wean the states off the fed gov, give them time, don't dump on the Governors suddenly.  It was the fed gov that developed the state's dependency.  Give the states at least five years to build up their proportionate reserves,  help each state get ready according to their economic well being, and write a National Crisis Plan that defines a clear PROCESS for United States Crisis Management with all roles and responsibilities clearly stated.

These are three easy action to help the USA get thru a crisis like covid-19.