Скачать или смотреть Biden Announces Executive Order to Oversee Stockpile Use

President Joe Biden issued an executive order putting the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer in charge of deciding whether and when to release raw materials from a U.S. stockpile related to ensuring the nation’s defense.

Under the order published Sunday, the Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment “may release strategic and critical materials from the National Defense Stockpile for use, sale, or other disposition only when required for use, manufacture, or production for purposes of national defense,” according to a White House statement.

“No release is authorized for economic or budgetary purposes,” according to the order. The Defense Department will make decisions in coordination with other government agency heads.

The NDS is a raw materials-based stockpile of 42 commodities meant to decrease or prevent “dependence upon foreign and single points of supply for strategic and critical materials needed in times of national emergency,” according to the Congressional Research Service.

There’s currently no congressionally confirmed undersecretary. The Biden administration hasn’t named a nominee since July when its first candidate withdrew.

Biden ordered a broad review of U.S. supply chains this year as the economic disruption of the coronavirus pandemic triggered shortages of everything from computer chips used in cars to medical supplies and bicycles.