Hinson, Stefanik, Rodgers, and Bice Lead the Babies Need Formula Now Act

Washington, D.C. - Representatives Ashley Hinson (IA-01), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Cathy McMorris Rogers (WA-05), and Stephanie Bice (OK-05) introduced the Babies Need Formula Now Act to increase the baby formula supply as soon as possible. This legislation would also require more oversight and accountability at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure the Biden administration is doing its job, acting quickly to maintain a healthy and safe supply of formula, and not wasting resources. To ensure parents have more choices in the future, it also reduces barriers to innovation for new brands and types of formula to enter the marketplace.

“Because of the Biden Administration’s incompetence, parents in Iowa are going from store to store in search of baby formula only to come back empty handed,” said Hinson. “Families deserve certainty and babies need to be fed—our legislation will get baby formula back on the shelves as soon as possible and takes concrete steps to ensure parents are never in this hopeless situation again.”

“I am proud to introduce the Babies Need Formula Now Act to address Joe Biden’s baby formula crisis,” said Stefanik. “While Joe Biden’s FDA has ignored my calls to action and proven it is incapable of making any effective plan to address this crisis, I have introduced solutions that will restore supply chain operations, restock shelves, and ensure this never happens again. As a new mother, I know how important it is for families to have certainty, which is why I have been sounding the alarm on the baby formula shortage since February and will continue to take action on behalf of parents and grandparents trying to feed their babies.”

“The baby formula supply crisis is a matter of life and death. Parents must be able to find the formula their baby needs, and they shouldn’t have to drive hours paying record-high gas prices only find more empty shelves,” said Rodgers. “For parents, the most important action we can take is to address the immediate supply crisis. We need formula restocked as soon as possible. That’s why the Babies Need Formula Now Act will make sure the FDA is using every flexibility for parents to access safe formula, including from abroad. It also holds President Biden and his administration accountable if red tape at the FDA is preventing new formulas from reaching the shelves.”

“It is absolutely critical that we not only solve the distressing baby formula crisis immediately but ensure it will not happen again,” said Bice. “This is why I introduced the Babies Need Formula Now Act with my House Republican colleagues that will increase supply as quickly as possible and allow more brands of formula to enter the market. Importantly, this legislation seeks transparency and accountability from the FDA and the Biden Administration. Through this essential legislation, American families will be able to properly feed their babies.”

Details:

• Increasing Supply: The Babies Need More Formula Now Act makes sure the FDA is using every flexibility to import safe baby formula from abroad. It also temporarily lifts restrictions on infant formula to allow parents to order formula from countries that have similar safety standards as the United States.
• Requiring the FDA to be Transparent: Simply giving the Biden administration more money, with no guardrails or accountability for how it is spent, will not address the immediate crisis or correct how it made these shortages worse. The Babies Need More Formula Now Act adds oversight and accountability to the FDA to make sure it is doing its job and acting quickly to maintain a healthy and safe supply of formula.
• Giving Parents More Choices: To prevent dangerous shortages from happening again, this solution also lifts FDA-imposed barriers that restrict new types and brands of formula from entering the market. It ensures more competition so more formula will reach the shelves and parents have more options to keep their babies fed.
• Enhancing Accountability for Recalls: When there is a recall for labeling unrelated to the quality of the product, the FDA needs to consider the impact to the supply of formula before recommending or requiring a recall. The Babies Need More Formula Now Act requires the FDA to notify to Congress of recalls and provide a plan to address any supply issues that may result. It requires coordination between the FDA and the manufacturer of the recalled formula to resolve any issues as soon as possible.