NPR

Biden To Sign Order Seeking Homegrown Fixes For Shortfalls Of Foreign-Made Items

During the pandemic, the U.S. couldn't import enough gloves. Recently, car makers ran out of semiconductors. So the White House wants to find ways to make more critical items in the United States.
President Biden speaks after signing an executive order related to American manufacturing at the White House on Jan. 25, 2021.

Shortages of medical supplies and ingredients for pharmaceuticals came into stark focus during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, when hospital workers resorted to reusing masks and gloves to try to keep themselves safe from COVID-19.

More recently, automakers were forced to shut down plants because of a shortage of computer chips, putting workers on furlough.

The supply chain failures are two examples of why the Biden administration wants to jump-start production of critical materials

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