[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 181 (Wednesday, November 15, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2185]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1995

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                           HON. JACK METCALF

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 15, 1995

  Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Castle, my good 
friend and chairman of the Subcommittee on Domestic and International 
Monetary Policy, for allowing me to discuss some issues about the 
Defense Production Act.
  The Defense Production Act has been an important tool for acquiring 
needed equipment and technology for our Armed Forces in the event of a 
national emergency. Yet, the Defense Production Act is a multi-issue 
law. Much of this expansive act deals with advising and working with 
commercial activities to study, invent, and produce materials that 
could be used in the event of wartime activity.
  When the DPA came up in subcommittee, concerns were raised by other 
Members and myself. Besides the continuance of authorizing funds for 
such an outdated, all-encompassing and convoluted act--it also has 
sweeping authority given to the President. This nebulous language must 
be cleared to set a direct mission for use of DPA authority. What we 
have now can be interpreted as essentially a War Powers Act clothed in 
1950's post-World War II language--language that gives heavy leeway to 
the executive branch.
  Make no mistake, I am not favoring withholding vital equipment from 
our Armed Forces and thus I am favoring reappropriating this bill, but 
the report language fostered for this bill mandates the executive 
branch to review and to reform the outdated language and to set clear 
the mission for the DPA. It requires the President to provide an 
interim report and a final report before appropriations end in 1998. 
The goal of this report language is to help refine the bill, provide 
what is necessary for the Armed Forces by Presidential order, and to 
set a direction for a rewrite of the legislation before the next 
appropriation cycle.
  Maintaining vital procurement in times of national emergency is 
imperative--but modernizing statutes to ensure proper legality is also 
extremely critical.

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