WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump urged automakers General Motors and Ford to begin manufacturing ventilators, critical medical equipment needed to treat COVID-19 patients, and mentioned invoking the Defense Production Act to compel those companies to begin mass production.

“General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS NOW!!!!!!” he tweeted. “FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!”

The president tweeted “Invoke ‘P'” which he clarified in a later tweet meant the Defense Production Act, a wartime authority that allows him to direct companies to speed the production of medical equipment including ventilators, masks and other equipment to help health care workers treat coronavirus patients.

While he mentioned his authority to invoke the DPA, Trump did not make clear whether he was going to use the act to compel the companies to make ventilators or whether he was just raising the threat to do so.

Trump appeared to be responding to a New York Times report that found the White House stopped short of approving a $1 billion dollar deal with General Motors and Ventec Life Systems to produce up to 80,000 of the much-needed ventilators after government officials said they needed more time to weigh the price tag, according to the newspaper.

“As usual with ‘this’ General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, ‘very quickly.’ Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar,” Trump tweeted.

Ford responded in a statement that it “is pulling out all the stops to quickly and safely provide vitally needed equipment” and is “in active conversations with the Administration, seeking guidance about approvals, scope and distribution relating to a series of products, including ventilators.”

The president has faced mounting criticism from state and local officials for not formally enforcing the DPA to compel companies to expedite the production of medical supplies amid a widespread shortage of equipment across the country. Trump has publicly questioned the need for the number of ventilators being sought.

“I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday. “You know, you go into major hospitals, sometimes, they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they’re saying, ‘can we order 30,000 ventilators?'”

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he needs 30,000 ventilators “at a minimum” to meet the peak of the outbreak in his state in a couple of weeks. Cuomo also said the federal government has been slow to help provide all kinds of help.

– Courtney Subramanian and David Jackson

“Disgraceful.” “Irresponsible.” Colleagues slam Rep. Massie for blocking voice vote

GOP Rep. Thomas Massie is facing a deluge of criticism from Republicans, Democrats and even President Donald Trump for hinting at a last-minute vote change on the coronavirus relief package that has forced lawmakers to travel back to Washington Friday.

The Kentucky Republican, who opposes the bipartisan bill expected to be passed in the House, has suggested he wants hold a recorded vote in the House, meaning at least a majority of House lawmakers would need to be present to pass the bill and send it to Trump for final approval.

The House had hoped to approve the package while keeping its hundreds of members home due to concerns about further spreading the virus. Already, two House lawmakers have tested positive for COVID-19. It’s plan was to hold a “voice vote,” in which members present simply state “aye or nay,” a method that doesn’t require a majority of Congress to be at the Capitol. 

But that all changed because of Massie. House rules state a recorded vote can be forced even if just one member makes the request. The threat prompted House leaders to ask that members quickly return to Washington, leading to a frantic rush to find flights or drive to D.C.

A House leadership aide told USA TODAY the chamber will have enough members present Friday to ensure the measure is passed. House Republicans and Democrats worked together Friday to tally up the number of members who could make it back to Washington.

Several lawmakers posted selfies from red-eye flights and from their cars with many publicly airing their frustration and anger toward Massie.

Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., posted a photo on a flight back to D.C. Friday morning. The only others on board the deserted plane were three other lawmakers also heading back for the vote. All sat several seats away from one another in accordance with social distancing rules. 

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Penn., said on Twitter that she too was heading to D.C.

“I’m really disappointed that there’s some members threatening to tank the bill on the floor, so we all got a call last night that we should head back as quickly as possible,” she said. 

One of Massie’s fellow Republican colleagues was more blunt. Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., called it “disgraceful” and “irresponsible.”

“Heading to Washington to vote on pandemic legislation. Because of one Member of Congress refusing to allow emergency action entire Congress must be called back to vote in House,” he wrote on Twitter. “Risk of infection and risk of legislation being delayed.”

Trump lashed out at Massie in a series of tweets in which he called him a “grandstander” and a “disaster for America” who should be thrown out of the GOP for his opposition to the package. 

“He just wants the publicity. He can’t stop it, only delay, which is both dangerous…& costly,” Trump added. 

On Thursday evening, one House lawmaker pleaded for Massie to inform the rest of his House colleagues if he intended to hold up the vote and prevent hundreds of them from hopping on planes.

“Dear @RepThomasMassie: If you intend to delay passage of the #coronavirus relief bill tomorrow morning, please advise your 428 colleagues RIGHT NOW so we can book flights and expend ~$200,000 in taxpayer money to counter your principled but terribly misguided stunt,” Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., wrote on Twitter.

Rep. T.J. Cox, a freshman Democrat from California, caught a red eye with several other House lawmakers that landed in Washington around 6 a.m. EDT so they could support the bill.

“I think a lot of members thought it was their responsibility to vote,” he wrote in a text.

Massie has yet to say publicly whether he will call for a recorded vote, but he said he was mulling it over in an interview Thursday morning with 55 KRC radio.

“I’m having a really hard time with this. Because they’re saying, well it’s hard to travel, yadda yadda yadda,” Massie said. “Well, last night, 96 out of 100 Senators voted. All we would need is 218 out of 435 to vote,” he added, pointing to a section in the U.S. Constitution.

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Contributing: Ledge King

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