Defense Production Act Speeds Up Vaccine Production

In the run-up to President Biden's promise Tuesday that there would be enough COVID-19 vaccines for every adult in the United States by the end of May, he talked up a Korean War era law called the Defense Production Act.

Biden mentioned it in his first presidential remarks about the pandemic fight from the White House State Dining Room on Jan. 26. He brought it up again during a Feb. 19 trip to a Pfizer vaccine factory in Kalamazoo, Mich., while he stood in front of gleaming stainless steel production equipment. He brought the law up on Feb. 25 after watching a Washington, D.C., resident get vaccinated in front of cameras at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building for an event to celebrate the 50-millionth shot. Less than two hours later, he talked about the law in the National Governors Association's winter meeting.

So perhaps it was no surprise Biden brought up the Defense Production Act yet again in his announcement this month that his administration brokered a deal between two pharmaceutical rivals — Merck and Johnson & Johnson — to increase the vaccine supply and help deliver doses earlier than expected.