U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined 30 of their Democratic colleagues in urging President Joe Biden to immediately assign a coordinator within the White House to address the infant formula shortage and implement a national strategy to increase the resiliency of the infant formula supply chain and protect against future contamination and shortages.
In a letter to President Biden, the senators wrote, “We need organized leadership and a clear plan for addressing this crisis. We cannot stop working on this issue until babies are fed.”
The senators added, “The federal government needs to do more to get formula back on shelves as soon as possible and secure the supply chain of infant formula to prevent this type of crisis from happening again. These actions require a government-wide response, as the issue spans food supply chain security, regulatory oversight, public health surveillance, market competition, government contracting, and more. We urge you to immediately assign a coordinator within the White House to work with manufacturers directly and oversee the development and implementation of a national strategy for increasing the resiliency of the infant formula supply chain and protecting against future contamination and shortages.”
In the letter, the senators outlined how a long-term strategy is urgently needed to ensure parents—as well as federal, local, and state governments—have the information they need regarding shortages, to improve coordination with manufacturers, and to protect the safety of the formula supply.
The senators continued, “The national strategy should rapidly address immediate needs associated with the shortage, including identifying specific action steps and deadlines for addressing the shortage. It should also provide critical information to parents and caregivers, including where to find formula, how to transition from one formula to another, if needed, and what to do if a medical or specialty formula is unavailable. Additionally, the Administration should outline a long-term strategy that allows for better information-sharing across federal, state, and local governments regarding shortages, improved and ongoing coordination with manufacturers and retailers, and measures for protecting the safety and integrity of the formula supply.”
Read the full text of the letter led by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Bob Casey (D-Penn.) here.
