Byron Donalds Introduces Bill to Stop Biden Admin From ‘Abusing’ Defense Production Act
July 29, 2022 Updated 9:57 A.M. ET
WASHINGTON (FLV) – U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds introduced legislation that aims to prevent the the Biden Administration from “abusing” the Defense Production Act to advance an “environmental agenda” that does not have enough support to pass in Congress.
Donalds introduced the Defense Production Oversight Act along with U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas.
“For 72 years, the Defense Production Act stood as a worst-case scenario option in the event of a national emergency or international conflict to fully mobilize the weight of America’s private and public sectors amid monumental junctures in time,” Donalds said. “Since its inception, only six presidents enacted the DPA—today, under the Biden administration, it’s been enacted four times.”
“This egregious abuse of the DPA threatens our governing system, which places clear checks on each branch of government. The DPA isn’t a way to circumvent the legislative branch when the executive branch fails to gain traction on its agenda, and this bill aims to curtail its use for its intended purpose.”
The Defense Production Act allows the president to direct private companies to prioritize orders from the federal government. The proposed bill would empower Congress to express its disapproval of an administration’s use of the Defense Production Act. A resolution expressing congressional disapproval would need to pass both the House and Senate.
“Congress has given extraordinary emergency powers to the executive branch under the assumption that they would only be used in extraordinary circumstances. President Biden has decided to abuse that authority to give the impression he’s acting on the crises his administration continues to create and to push a climate agenda that cannot succeed legislatively. Congress must rein in an executive who’s overstepping his authority,” Marshall said.
Sens. John Barrasso and John Thune joined Marshall on his legislation in the United States Senate.
“The Defense Production Act is a critical tool to address emergency supply deficiencies related to our national defense. It shouldn’t be used to push political priorities that Congress hasn’t approved and don’t directly impact our ability to defend the nation. Our bill allows Congress to stop any president from abusing this executive authority,” Barrasso said.
Read the full text of the Defense Production Oversight Act here.
