Jerry McGinn, executive director of the Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting at George Mason University’s Costello College of Business and a three-time Wash100 awardee, said Congress should reauthorize the Defense Production Act, or DPA, for another five years to address production challenges with munitions and other materials critical to national security.
Refocusing DPA Authority on Urgent National Security Requirements
In an article published Tuesday on RealClear Defense, McGinn wrote that “For the DPA to be used most effectively, the invocation of its authority should be limited to national defense or national emergency uses such as during COVID.”
“Using DPA outside of these purposes threatens the viability of this unique tool for rebuilding a robust, resilient, and competitive American industrial base,” he added.
The 2025 Wash100 awardee said Congress and the current administration can implement three measures to strengthen DPA for the future. These are using DPA authorities to enhance interagency planning and coordination for national emergencies, delegating project approvals to the secretary-level of agencies with Title III authority under the upcoming DPA reauthorization and employing Title VII to full effect.
McGinn also called for the use of voluntary agreements to help government and industry to collaborate and improve the production of munitions and other industrial capacities.
In the piece, he also urged Congress to bolster the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to stay ahead of foreign threats.
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