[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 23, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H8699-H8700]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT EXTENSION AND REAUTHORIZATION OF 2008

  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6894) to extend and reauthorize the Defense Production Act 
of 1950, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6894

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Defense Production Act 
     Extension and Reauthorization of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF TERMINATION DATE.

       Section 717(a) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 
     U.S.C. App. 2166(a)) is amended by striking ``September 30, 
     2008'' and inserting ``September 30, 2009''.

     SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION.

       Section 711(b) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 
     U.S.C. App. 2161(b)) is amended by striking ``2008'' and 
     inserting ``2009''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez) and the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. 
Capito) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.

                              {time}  2200

  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 5 minutes.
  I rise in strong support of H.R. 6894, the Defense Production Act 
Extension and Reauthorization of 2008, and urge my colleagues to 
support the bill's passage.
  This legislation reauthorizes the Defense Production Act of 1950, 
which expires at the end of fiscal year 2008, through September 30 of 
2009.
  Although the act is due for a comprehensive review, we did not have 
adequate time to conduct hearings and a markup in this Congress. 
Therefore, we are seeking this straight, 1-year extension that makes no 
substantive changes to the act.
  Mr. Speaker, the Defense Production Act, or DPA, is a little known 
bill of great national significance. Put simply, the DPA gives the 
President a vital set of tools to ensure the constant readiness of 
those portions of our industrial base that support national security. 
These tools include production priorities and financial incentives, but 
they also extend to monitoring the increasing effects of globalization 
on the defense base.
  Since it was enacted in 1950 during the Korean war, every 
administration since President Truman's has used the act carefully and 
prudently.
  In addition to its national defense uses, the DPA holds the promise 
of helping to mitigate civil emergencies

[[Page H8700]]

during peacetime. For example, during the California energy crisis, 
former President Clinton authorized the U.S. Energy Secretary to use 
the act to compel a continuing supply of natural gas to Pacific Gas & 
Electric.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States is currently fighting wars on two 
fronts--rebuilding from the damages caused by Hurricane Ike and, 
regrettably, still rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina. The DPA is a key 
component of our national security and civil emergency readiness, and 
we cannot let the act lapse.
  I know that some of my colleagues have questions about how the act 
has been used, if at all, by the current administration during civil 
emergencies. I share these concerns, but I believe these oversight 
issues would be best addressed in the next Congress.
  Next year, the Financial Services Committee will conduct a 
comprehensive review of the DPA, specifically looking at proposals to 
increase the amounts authorized in title III of the act. The 1-year 
extension will give the committee time to do its work in a thoughtful, 
bipartisan manner, and I urge the bill's passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6894, the 
Defense Production Act Extension and Reauthorization of 2008.
  In 1950, at the outset of the Korean war and at the behest of 
President Truman, Congress acted to give the President the ability to 
meet a specific national security need should we have a shortfall in 
supplies.
  The ability of this Nation to call on private industry to meet the 
demands of securing a nation are just as prominent today as they were 
over a half century ago when Congress first enacted this law. In an 
uncertain world where we face constantly changing threats and remain 
vulnerable to national disaster, the ability of military and civilian 
agencies to be given priority service to aid the American people is 
paramount.
  Today, with American soldiers fighting so courageously abroad, we 
have the same imperative: they must have the resources and equipment 
they need when they need them.
  Similarly, this country has seen the toll natural disasters can take 
on the Nation. Within the last weeks alone, we have seen Hurricanes 
Gustav, Hanna and Ike bring destruction to this Nation's shores. 
Responding to the needs of the families affected should be a priority, 
and this legislation reauthorizes the President's ability to 
effectively respond to those needs with priority purchases of supplies, 
be they water or equipment, to repair damaged railroad switches.
  The authorities in this act are too important to be allowed to expire 
for any amount of time. Yet, Mr. Speaker, without the Congress acting 
today, these authorities will expire on September 30. The legislation 
before us would reauthorize the Defense Production Act in its current 
form, for 1 year, with no other changes to the DPA's powers. This 1-
year extension will continue these authorities while providing the 
Congress a window to consider any need for updating this act. A 
recently issued GAO report on the authorities, as well as volumes of 
other information, will ensure engagement in an important dialogue on 
how to improve on this authority's taking place. Passing this law today 
ensures that that debate takes place without the impending pressure of 
adjournment.
  I hope, Mr. Speaker, that we can undertake any needed updates of the 
act at the beginning of the first session of the next Congress and then 
extend the authorization for multiple years at that point so that these 
important authorities remain available to protect America, Americans 
and American interests, uninterrupted.
  In closing, I would like to thank Chairman Luis Gutierrez and full 
committee Chairman Barney Frank for authoring this bipartisan 
legislation. Because of their leadership on this issue, Congress has 
before it today a bill to ensure the American people and their security 
interests are well served. With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage 
of H.R. 6894.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. I would ask the gentlelady if there are any requests 
for time on her side.
  Mrs. CAPITO. I have no further speakers.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Altmire). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6894.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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