Public Health Supply Chain (E.O. 14001)

Summary

Orders the government to find, get, and fairly give out supplies like masks and vaccines to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future ones.

What problem does this solve?

The country faced shortages of critical supplies like masks and tests during the COVID-19 pandemic. This order uses federal power to take inventory, fix supply gaps, and create a long-term plan to make these items in the U.S.

What does this order do?

Immediate review of pandemic supplies

Requires federal agencies to immediately check the availability of critical supplies like PPE, tests, and vaccines, and see if U.S. industry can make them quickly.

Use of the Defense Production Act

Authorizes agencies to use the Defense Production Act and other legal powers to fix supply shortages by buying more, improving distribution, or helping companies make more.

Long-term supply chain strategy

Orders the creation of a strategy to build a long-term ability in the U.S. to make supplies for future pandemics and biological threats.

Address price gouging and hoarding

Requires a review of how to handle the pricing of pandemic supplies and prevent hoarding or price gouging of scarce medical resources.

Improve Tribal access to supplies

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to take steps to make it easier for Tribal governments and health providers to get supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile.

Who does this affect?

Health care workers
State, local, and Tribal governments
Medical supply manufacturers

What is the real world impact?

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Strengthens the federal pandemic response

Centralizes the government's effort to manage and distribute critical medical supplies, ensuring a more coordinated response to the COVID-19 crisis across all levels of government.

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Boosts domestic manufacturing

Aims to reduce reliance on foreign countries for essential health supplies by creating a long-term strategy to build and maintain manufacturing capabilities within the United States.

When does this start?

This order takes effect immediately on January 21, 2021, and sets a 180-day deadline for a long-term supply chain strategy.

Pandemic Supply Chain Strategy

Within 180 days of January 21, 2021, relevant Secretaries must provide the President a strategy to build a long-term U.S. manufacturing capability for pandemic supplies.