50 USC 4533 - Other presidential action authorized

United States Code

USC most recently checked for updates: Dec 12, 2024

§ 4532. Loans to private business enterprises

§ 4534. Defense Production Act Fund

U.S. Code
Notes

§ 4533.

Other presidential action authorized

(a)

In general

(1)

In general

To create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore domestic industrial base capabilities essential for the national defense, the President may make provision—

(A)

for purchases of or commitments to purchase an industrial resource or a critical technology item, for Government use or resale;

(B)

for the encouragement of exploration, development, and mining of critical and strategic materials, and other materials;

(C)

for the development of production capabilities; and

(D)

for the increased use of emerging technologies in security program applications and the rapid transition of emerging technologies—

(i)

from Government-sponsored research and development to commercial applications; and

(ii)

from commercial research and development to national defense applications.

(2)

Treatment of certain agricultural commodities

(3)

Terms of sales

No commodity purchased under this subsection shall be sold at less than—

(A)

the established ceiling price for such commodity, except that minerals, metals, and materials shall not be sold at less than the established ceiling price, or the current domestic market price, whichever is lower; or

(B)

if no ceiling price has been established, the higher of—

(i)

the current domestic market price for such commodity; or

(ii)

the minimum sale price established for agricultural commodities owned or controlled by the Commodity Credit Corporation, as provided in section 1427 of title 7.

(4)

Delivery dates

No purchase or commitment to purchase any imported agricultural commodity shall specify a delivery date which is more than 1 year after the date of termination of this section.

(5)

Presidential determinations

Except as provided in paragraph (7), the President may not execute a contract under this subsection unless the President, on a non-delegable basis, determines, with appropriate explanatory material and in writing, that—

(A)

the industrial resource, material, or critical technology item is essential to the national defense;

(B)

without Presidential action under this section, United States industry cannot reasonably be expected to provide the capability for the needed industrial resource, material, or critical technology item in a timely manner; and

(C)

purchases, purchase commitments, or other action pursuant to this section are the most cost effective, expedient, and practical alternative method for meeting the need.

(6)

Notification to Congress of shortfall

(A)

In general

Except as provided in paragraph (7), the President shall provide written notice to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives of a domestic industrial base shortfall prior to taking action under this subsection to remedy the shortfall. The notice shall include the determinations made by the President under paragraph (5).

(B)

Aggregate amounts

If the taking of any action under this subsection to correct a domestic industrial base shortfall would cause the aggregate outstanding amount of all such actions for such shortfall to exceed $50,000,000, the action or actions may be taken only after the 30-day period following the date on which the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives have been notified in writing of the proposed action.

(C)

Limitation

If the taking of any action or actions under this section to correct an industrial resource shortfall would cause the aggregate outstanding amount of all such actions for such industrial resource shortfall to exceed $50,000,000, no such action or actions may be taken, unless such action or actions are authorized to exceed such amount by an Act of Congress.

(7)

Waivers authorized

The requirements of paragraphs (1) through (6) may be waived—

(A)

during a period of national emergency declared by the Congress or the President; or

(B)

upon a determination by the President, on a nondelegable basis, that action is necessary to avert an industrial resource or critical technology item shortfall that would severely impair national defense capability.

(b)

Exemption for certain limitations

Subject to the limitations in subsection (a), purchases and commitments to purchase and sales under subsection (a) may be made without regard to the limitations of existing law (other than section 1341 of title 31), for such quantities, and on such terms and conditions, including advance payments, and for such periods, but not extending beyond a date that is not more than 10 years from the date on which such purchase, purchase commitment, or sale was initially made, as the President deems necessary, except that purchases or commitments to purchase involving higher than established ceiling prices (or if no such established ceiling prices exist, currently prevailing market prices) or anticipated loss on resale shall not be made, unless it is determined that supply of the materials could not be effectively increased at lower prices or on terms more favorable to the Government, or that such purchases are necessary to assure the availability to the United States of overseas supplies.

(c)

Presidential findings

(1)

In general

The President may take the actions described in paragraph (2), if the President finds that—

(A)

under generally fair and equitable ceiling prices, for any raw or nonprocessed material, there will result a decrease in supplies from high-cost sources of such material, and that the continuation of such supplies is necessary to carry out the objectives of this subchapter; or

(B)

an increase in cost of transportation is temporary in character and threatens to impair maximum production or supply in any area at stable prices of any materials.

(2)

Subsidy payments authorized

Upon a finding under paragraph (1), the President may make provision for subsidy payments on any such domestically produced material, other than an agricultural commodity, in such amounts and in such manner (including purchases of such material and its resale at a loss), and on such terms and conditions, as the President determines to be necessary to ensure that supplies from such high-cost sources are continued, or that maximum production or supply in such area at stable prices of such materials is maintained, as the case may be.

(d)

Incidental authority

The procurement power granted to the President by this section shall include the power to transport and store and have processed and refined any materials procured under this section.

(e)

Installation of equipment in industrial facilities

(1)

Installation authorized

If the President determines that such action will aid the national defense, the President is authorized—

(A)

to procure and install additional equipment, facilities, processes or improvements to plants, factories, and other industrial facilities owned by the Federal Government;

(B)

to procure and install equipment owned by the Federal Government in plants, factories, and other industrial facilities owned by private persons;

(C)

to provide for the modification or expansion of privately owned facilities, including the modification or improvement of production processes, when taking actions under section 4531 of this title, 4532 of this title, or this section; and

(D)

to sell or otherwise transfer equipment owned by the Federal Government and installed under this subsection to the owners of such plants, factories, or other industrial facilities.

(2)

Indemnification

The owner of any plant, factory, or other industrial facility that receives equipment owned by the Federal Government under this section shall agree—

(A)

to waive any claim against the United States under section 9607 or 9613 of title 42; and

(B)

to indemnify the United States against any claim described in paragraph (1) made by a third party that arises out of the presence or use of equipment owned by the Federal Government.

(f)

Excess metals, minerals, and materials

(1)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, metals, minerals, and materials acquired pursuant to this section which, in the judgment of the President, are excess to the needs of programs under this chapter, shall be transferred to the National Defense Stockpile established by the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.), when the President deems such action to be in the public interest.

(2)

Transfers at no charge

Transfers made pursuant to this subsection shall be made without charge against or reimbursement from funds appropriated for the purposes of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.), except that costs incident to such transfer, other than acquisition costs, shall be paid or reimbursed from such funds.

(g)

Substitutes

When, in the judgement of the President, it will aid the national defense, the President may make provision for the development of substitutes for strategic and critical materials, critical components, critical technology items, and other industrial resources.

(Sept. 8, 1950, ch. 932, title III, § 303, as added Pub. L. 111–67, § 7, Sept. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 2013; amended Pub. L. 113–172, § 4(a), Sept. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 1897.)

cite as: 50 USC 4533