White House has weighed tapping National Guard to address mounting supply chain backlog

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White House officials have explored in recent weeks whether the National Guard could be deployed to help address the nation’s mounting supply chain backlog, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

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The idea appears unlikely to proceed as of now, the people said, but reflects the extent to which internal administration deliberations about America’s overwhelmed supply chain have sparked outside-the-box proposals to leverage government resources to address the issue.

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The discussions have involved senior members of President Biden’s economic team, as well as those tasked with addressing supply chain bottlenecks at the Transportation Department, the people said. At least one private sector company has also raised the idea with the White House.

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Part of the difficulty facing the White House is that much of the supply chain is controlled by private operators both in and outside the United States, limiting their options.

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“The challenge is that many industrial and consumer goods rely on truly global supply chains, and the production and distribution that occurs within the United States involves thousands of private firms,” said Kevin DeGood, director of infrastructure policy at the Center for American Progress, a think tank that is often supportive of Biden administration economic policies. “There isn’t one pinch point but many that fall mostly outside the direct control of governments.”

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