The Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Pile (National Stockpile) was established in 1939 to provide for the acquisition and retention of stocks of certain strategic and critical materials in which the United States was deficient and thereby decrease and prevent wherever possible a dangerous and costly independence of the United States upon foreign nations for supplies of these materials in times of national emergency. At issue is whether the National Defense Stockpile should be transferred to the Department of Defense. An analysis of this issue is undertaken in the context of H.R. 33, a bill introduced for this purpose. The essay was developed on the basis of a literature search, discussions with DOD, FEMA, GSA, and congressional staff, and the author's background in working with the House Armed Services Committee on this issue. The essay concludes that there is little likelihood that much progress will be made in meeting stockpile goals under the current stockpile organization. On the other hand, there is no guarantee that the program would improve significantly under Department of Defense management. However, a transfer to DOD would place both the authorization and appropriations for the stockpile in the hands of defense oriented committees and subcommittees. In any event, it is a good bet that similar legislation to transfer the stockpile to the Department of Defense will be introduced early in the 99th Congress.