No allocation action by the Department of Transportation may be used to control the general distribution of a material in the civilian market, unless the Secretary of the Department of Transportation has:

(a) Made a written finding that:

(1) Such material is a scarce and critical material essential to the national defense, and

(2) The requirements of the national defense for such material cannot otherwise be met without creating a significant dislocation of the normal distribution of such material in the civilian market to such a degree as to create appreciable hardship;

(b) Submitted the finding for the President's approval through the Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; and

(c) The President has approved the finding.