§2062. Declaration of policy

(a) Findings

The Congress finds that-

(1) the vitality of the industrial and technology base of the United States is a foundation of national security that provides the industrial and technological capabilities employed to meet national defense requirements, in peacetime and in time of national emergency;

(2) in peacetime, the health of the industrial and technological base contributes to the technological superiority of United States defense equipment, which is a cornerstone of the national security strategy, and the efficiency with which defense equipment is developed and produced;

(3) in times of crisis, a healthy industrial base will be able to effectively provide the graduated response needed to effectively meet the demands of the emergency;

(4) in view of continuing international problems, the Nation's demonstrated reliance on imports of materials and components, and the need for measures to reduce defense production lead times and bottlenecks, and in order to provide for the national defense and national security, the United States defense mobilization preparedness effort continues to require the development of-

(A) preparedness programs;

(B) domestic defense industrial base improvement measures;

(C) provisions for a graduated response to any threatening international or military situation;

(D) the expansion of domestic productive capacity beyond the levels needed to meet the civilian demand; and

(E) some diversion of certain materials and facilities from civilian use to military and related purposes.¹

(5) to meet the requirements referred to in this subsection, this Act [sections 2061 to 2171 of this Appendix] affords to the President an array of authorities to shape defense preparedness programs and to take appropriate steps to maintain and enhance the defense industrial and technological base;

(6) the activities referred to in this subsection are needed in order to-

(A) improve domestic defense industrial base efficiency and responsiveness;

(B) reduce the time required for industrial mobilization in the event of an attack on the United States; or

(C) to respond to actions occurring outside of the United States which could result in the termination or reduction of the availability of strategic and critical materials, including energy, and which could adversely affect the national defense preparedness of the United States;

(7) in order to ensure national defense preparedness, which is essential to national security, it is necessary and appropriate to assure the availability of domestic energy supplies for national defense needs;

(8) to further assure the adequate maintenance of the defense industrial base, to the maximum extent possible, such supplies should be augmented through reliance on renewable fuels, including solar, geothermal, and wind energy and ethanol and its derivatives, and on energy conservation measures;

(9) the domestic defense industrial base is a component part of the core industrial capacity of the Nation;

(10) much of the industrial capacity which is relied upon by the Federal Government for military production and other defense-related purposes is deeply and directly influenced by-

(A) the overall competitiveness of the United States industrial economy; and

(B) the ability of United States industry, in general, to produce internationally competitive products and operate profitably while maintaining adequate research and development to preserve that competitive edge in the future, with respect to military and civilian production;

(11) the domestic defense industrial base is developing a growing dependency on foreign sources for critical components and materials used in manufacturing and assembling major weapons systems for the national defense;

(12) such dependence is threatening the capability of many critical industries to respond rapidly to defense production needs in the event of war or other hostilities or diplomatic confrontation; and

(13) the inability of United States industry, especially smaller subcontractors and suppliers, to provide vital parts and components and other materials would impair our ability to sustain United States Armed Forces in combat for longer than a short period.

(b) Statement of policy

It is the policy of the United States that-

(1) in order to ensure productive capacity in the event of an attack on the United States, the United States should encourage the geographic dispersal of industrial facilities in the United States to discourage the concentration of such productive facilities within limited geographic areas which are vulnerable to attack by an enemy of the United States;

(2) to ensure that essential mobilization requirements are met, consideration should also be given to stockpiling strategic materials to the extent that such stockpiling is economical and feasible;

(3) in the construction of any Government-owned industrial facility, in the rendition of any Government financial assistance for the construction, expansion, or improvement of any industrial facility, and in the production of goods and services, under this or any other Act, each department and agency of the executive branch should apply, under the coordination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, when practicable and consistent with existing law and the desirability for maintaining a sound economy, the principle of the geographic dispersal of such facilities in the interest of national defense, except that nothing in this paragraph shall preclude the use of existing industrial facilities;

(4) to ensure the adequacy of productive capacity and supply, executive agencies and departments responsible for defense acquisition should continuously assess the capability of the domestic defense industrial base to satisfy peacetime requirements as well as increased mobilization production requirements, specifically evaluating the availability of adequate production sources, including subcontractors and suppliers, materials, skilled labor, and professional and technical personnel;

(5) every effort should be made to foster cooperation between the defense and commercial sectors for research and development and for acquisition of materials, components, and equipment; and

(6) plans and programs to carry out this section shall be undertaken with due consideration for promoting efficiency and competition.

(Sept. 8, 1950, ch. 932, §2, 64 Stat. 798 ; June 30, 1953, ch. 171, §2, 67 Stat. 129 ; Aug. 9, 1955, ch. 655, §2, 69 Stat. 580 ; June 29, 1956, ch. 474, §4, 70 Stat. 408 ; Pub. L. 96–294, title I, §102, June 30, 1980, 94 Stat. 617 ; Pub. L. 102–558, title I, §101, Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4199 .)

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsecs. (a)(5) and (b)(3), means act Sept. 8, 1950, ch. 932, 64 Stat. 798 , as amended, known as the Defense Production Act of 1950, which is classified to sections 2061 to 2171 of this Appendix. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 2061 of this Appendix and Tables.

Amendments

1992-Pub. L. 102–558 amended section generally, substituting provisions relating to findings and statement of policy, for provisions stating that mobilization effort continued to require diversion of materials and facilities from civilian to military use, and to require development of preparedness programs and expansion of productive capacity and supply, in order to reduce time required for full mobilization in case of attack on the United States or to respond to actions occurring outside the United States resulting in termination or reduction of availability of strategic materials, including energy, and provisions stating policy of Congress was to encourage geographical dispersal of industrial facilities, and requiring executive branch departments and agencies to apply principle of geographical dispersal in construction of such facilities.

1980-Pub. L. 96–294 inserted provisions relating to preparedness respecting termination or reduction in availability of strategic and critical materials, including energy, and domestic energy supplies for national defense needs.

1956-Act June 29, 1956, inserted paragraph relating to encouragement of the geographical dispersal of the industrial facilities of the United States.

1955-Act Aug. 9, 1955, provided that mobilization effort requires development of preparedness programs and expansion of productive capacity and supply in order to reduce time required for full mobilization.

1953-Act June 30, 1953, amended section generally to make it conform to the more limited scope of sections 2061 et seq. of this Appendix.

Effective Date of 1992 Amendment

Section 304 of Pub. L. 102–558 provided that: "This Act [enacting sections 2074, 2077, 2078, 2099a, and 2171 of this Appendix, amending sections 2062, 2091 to 2094, 2097, 2099, 2151 to 2155, 2159 to 2161, 2166, and 2170 of this Appendix, sections 1815, 1817, 1818, 1820, 1834, 1834a, and 3104 of Title 12, Banks and Banking, and section 1143 of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining, repealing sections 2162, 2165, 2167, and 2169 of this Appendix, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 2062, 2099, and 2159 of this Appendix and sections 1815, 1817, 1834, 1834a, and 3104 of Title 12, and repealing provisions set out as notes under sections 1817, 1834, and 1834a of Title 12] and the amendments made by this Act shall be deemed to have become effective on March 1, 1992, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Act."

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Section 107 of Pub. L. 96–294 provided that: "The amendments made by this part [enacting sections 2075, 2076, and 2095 to 2098 of this Appendix, amending sections 2062, 2091 to 2093, 2151, 2161, and 2166 of this Appendix, and enacting a provision set out as a note under section 2061 of this Appendix] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this part [June 30, 1980]."

Effective Date of 1955 Amendment

Section 11 of act Aug. 9, 1955, provided that: "The provisions of this Act [amending sections 2062, 2093, 2151, 2158, 2160, 2162, and 2166 of this Appendix and enacting provisions set out as a note under this section] shall take effect as of the close of July 31, 1955."

Termination Date

For termination of certain provisions of act Sept. 8, 1950, see section 2166 of this Appendix.

Reports to Congress

Pub. L. 104–64, §4, Dec. 18, 1995, 109 Stat. 689 , provided that:

"(a) In General.-The President shall prepare and transmit to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate an interim report and a final report on proposed legislative modernization of the authorities contained in the Defense Production Act of 1950 [section 2061 et seq. of this Appendix].

"(b) Timing.-The President shall so transmit-

"(1) the interim report required by subsection (a), not later than January 31, 1997; and

"(2) the final report required by subsection (a), not later than September 30, 1997."

Evaluation of Domestic Defense Industrial Base Policy

Section 203 of Pub. L. 102–558, established Congressional Commission on the Evaluation of the Defense Industrial Base Policy which was to submit, not later than Mar. 1, 1995, a final report to Congress outlining criteria for maintaining strength of domestic industrial base for purposes of supporting national security strategy of United States, taking into consideration, with respect to each Federal agency and department with any responsibility for maintaining strength of domestic defense industrial base, adequacy of statutory framework, budgets, policies, and programs of such agency or department in maintaining domestic defense industrial base, and whether such elements were being effectively implemented and coordinated within such agency or department, as well as degree to which similar activities in commercial sector were being integrated and implemented by such agency or department, and further provided for membership of Commission, as well as staff, powers, interim reports, appropriations, and termination of Commission 60 days after submission of final report.

¹ So in original. The period probably should be a semicolon.