Rep. Blunt Rochester Votes To Improve Families' Access To Baby Formula

Statement

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester voted to pass two bills, H.R. 7790 the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, and H.R. 7791 the Access to Baby Formula Act, to address the baby formula supply shortage impacting families in Delaware and across the nation. These bills come on the heels of the growing baby formula supply shortage caused by ongoing supply chain issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and a recall on several baby formulas produced at an Abbot Nutrition plant in Michigan in February 2022. In response to the recall, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to consumers not to use the recalled formulas that included Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare. Delaware is one of hardest-hit states when it comes to out-of-stock baby formula rates.

"No parent should have to worry about where their infant's next meal is coming from. The infant formula supply shortage continues to impact families here in Delaware and across the nation at an alarming rate, including women and children who rely on WIC benefits to purchase formula. We must invoke an all-hands-on-deck approach to solve this crisis swiftly and make sure it never happens again," said Rep. Blunt Rochester. "These two major pieces of legislation that I voted for will support the FDA with the resources it needs to get formula to families as quickly and safely as possible and give WIC participants more flexibility to purchase formula in more stores."

H.R. 7790 the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act provides $28 million in emergency funding to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), providing FDA the resources it needs to address the current urgent infant formula shortage and to help prevent it from ever happening again. Specifically, the bill provides the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urgently needed resources to help address the infant formula shortage, increase the number of FDA inspection staff, provide resources for personnel working on formula issues, help the agency stop fraudulent baby formula from entering the marketplace and improve data collection on the formula market.

H.R. 7791 the Access to Baby Formula Act provides flexibility so that low-income families can continue purchasing safe infant formula with their WIC benefits during a crisis, such as a supply chain disruption. The Access to Baby Formula Act is particularly important as nearly half of all infant formula is purchased using WIC benefits and 89 percent of WIC participants purchased formula from Abbott Nutrition -- the manufacturing plant that closed and spurred the shortage crisis.

Blunt Rochester sent a letter to the USDA urging them to give more opportunities to WIC participants to purchase baby formula through online retailers in addition to brick-and-mortar stores to get the formula that they need for their children. Since 1974, WIC has enhanced access to healthy foods and delivered critical nutrition services for new and expectant parents, babies, and young children. Through WIC, the U.S. government provides infant formula to almost half of all U.S. infants. Provision of infant formula through WIC helps to ensure that infants in low-income households receive adequate nutrition. However, there are many restrictions that limit what participants can purchase and where they can use their benefits. Read the full letter here.

Source