On June 8, 2021 the administration released a report detailing its findings from a 100-day review of vulnerabilities within the supply chains of four critical products:
- semiconductors;
- large capacity batteries;
- critical minerals and materials; and
- pharmaceuticals
The report is in response to President Biden’s Feb. 24, 2021 executive order calling for an assessment of the vulnerabilities within essential supply chains. The administration analyzed and provided recommendations on the supply chains within the report and also seeks to create a Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force to address supply chain challenges across the government. In addition, the report calls for the United States to begin the process of building comprehensive strategies for revitalizing six key industrial bases:
- defense;
- public health;
- information and communication technology;
- energy;
- transportation; and
- agriculture and food production
This whole-of-government approach intends to engage the private and public sector as well as government agencies to ensure essential supply chains are more resilient, in order to promote national security, economic security, and job creation.
The report analyzes the United States’ supply chain vulnerabilities and provides recommendations to improve U.S. economic resilience and independence. Across all four sectors, the general theme remains the same: the United States is currently heavily dependent upon foreign imports, which exposes the country to vulnerabilities and potential supply chain disruptions. The recommendations in this report seek to strengthen the United States’ domestic capacity to manufacture across these sectors to decrease net dependence upon foreign adversaries and countries. The administration seeks to employ the private and public sectors as well as agencies such as the DOD, DOS, DOE, DOI, and HHS to increase transparency and invest in sustainable improvements across these four key supply chains.
Read on for details on the risks and recommendations for each of the four critical products reviewed in the report.