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Representative Val Demings to President Donald Trump: Fully Implement Defense Production Act

Photo: Annie Spratt @anniespratt
Photo: Annie Spratt @anniespratt

Congresswoman Val Demings is calling on President Donald Trump to use the Defense Production Act to protect Central Floridians against price gouging during the coronavirus pandemic.


The act keeps people from hoarding materials for the purpose of reselling them at a higher price. 

“Full implementation of the Defense Production Act would help us in terms of holding bad actors more accountable by providing that necessary oversight over them.”

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Ocoee city commissioner George Oliver III said that his residents are being overcharged for basic necessities.

“Retailers, internet retailers were doing a lot of price gouging for basic equipment such as the sanitary wipes, the masks, the gloves, and hand sanitizers.” 

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Demings says giving one federal agency oversight could make it easier to regulate these companies. 

President Trump has used the act to order two companies to produce N-95 masks and ventilators and to send supplies to six other companies.

But the mandate didn’t include a plan to enforce quotas.
If you'd like to listen to the story, click on the clips above.

Danielle Prieur is WMFE's education reporter.