General Motors and Ventec Life Systems plan to begin shipping ventilators as soon as next month, the companies said in a news release. The announcement came as President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum giving the Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar the authority under the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to prioritize federal government contracts for ventilators. GM and Ventec Life Systems plan to build VOCSN critical care ventilators at GM's Kokomo, IN, manufacturing facility. Ventec officials expect the FDA-cleared ventilators to ship as soon as next month. Ventec officials also said the company plans to ramp up production at its manufacturing facility in Bothell, WA.