New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called Sunday for Donald Trump to use the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to get much-sought-after supplies to hospitals, warning of a surge of coronavirus cases in the coming weeks. “We cannot wait until people start really dying in large numbers to start production,” she said, “especially of more complicated equipment like ventilators and hospital beds.”

When SOTU host Jake Tapper told Ocasio-Cortez that his previous guest, FEMA head Pete Gaynor, said that ordering companies to make supplies was not necessary at this time, the first-term Congresswoman frowned and shook her head. “First, we were hearing it was a hoax. Then we were hearing that everything was fine. Then we were hearing that the fundamentals of the economy [were] OK, until the crash comes,” she said.

The plea from Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of the Bronx and Queens, echoed New York City mayor Bill de Blasio’s [appeal] on NBC’s Meet The Press. “If the president does not act,” de Blasio warned, “people will die who could have lived otherwise.”

Currently, some private companies have announced they will commence manufacturing much-needed medical goods. During Saturday’s press conference, Trump said start Hanes will start producing PPEs (personal protective equipment) such as masks and gowns. (However, the New York Times reported “Hanes is not making the most-sought-after N-95 masks.”). Early Sunday, Trump tweeted that GM, Ford and Tesla have been “given the go ahead” to make ventilators and “other metal products, FAST!”

Still, companies volunteering to make supplies is different from the government compelling them to do so in addressing a public health crisis. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy was similarly frustrated by Gaynor's remarks, asking "why we have a president at all if he isn't prepared to use the powers given to him at a moment like this."

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