Senators Hassan and Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Strengthen American Supply Chains Critical To National Defense

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Chair of the Emerging Threats Subcommittee, and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), introduced the Defense Supply Chain Security Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill to help strengthen critical supply chains within the defense industrial base and ensure that our military is equipped to handle national security threats. The bill has also been introduced as an amendment to the NDAA.

“In a world with evolving national security threats, including an increasingly aggressive China, and disruptions to our supply chain brought on by COVID-19, we must make sure that our military is equipped with the supplies that they need to face any challenge,” said Senator Hassan. “That is why I introduced this bipartisan bill that will strengthen military supply chains and help keep Americans safe, secure, and free. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass it.”  

The legislation would strengthen U.S. supply chain security by requiring the Department of Defense to conduct annual assessments of the workforce, infrastructure, and industrial base capabilities and capacity to support domestic manufacturing and industrial base capabilities for future defense requirements. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on the efforts of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment on the defense industrial base's supply chain security. 

Senator Hassan is working to strengthen supply chains so that Americans can thrive in today’s 21st century economy. Earlier this year, the Senate passed the United States Innovation and Competition Act, to help position the United States to build its competitive edge against China. The bill contained a Hassan-led amendment to strengthen efforts to investigate unfair trade practices that systematically impact critical domestic supply chains and U.S. workers. The bill also included $50 billion to support legislation that Senator Hassan and colleagues previously passed into law to stimulate advanced semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. In April, Senator Hassan joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in urging the Biden administration to support fully funding this law.

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