Politics & Government
Amid 'Life Or Death' Search For Baby Formula, Lawmakers Take Action
President Joe Biden, on Wednesday, invoked the Defense Production Act to address the crisis as U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand urged action.
LONG ISLAND, NY — As mothers cry out in desperation for help to feed their babies in the face of a nationwide formula shortages, lawmakers announced plans to address the crisis Wednesday.
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a video press conference to announce the introduction of the Emergency Infant Formula Act.
The new legislation would take steps to increase domestic production and expand sourcing of formula in order to alleviate the current crisis and prevent future shortages, a release from Gillibrand said.
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This bill is led in the House of Representatives by Congressman Brad Sherman, she added.
“No family in America should ever be concerned they cannot feed their babies. Corporate greed and malfeasance have put us in this dire situation and now we must act with urgency,” said Gillibrand.
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The bill would authorize the president to suspend tariffs and significantly expand the sourcing of baby formula in times of emergency, and spells out the president’s ability to invoke the Defense Production Act to increase domestic production of formula.
"These key steps will help address hoarding, offset price gouging, and alleviate the stress and anxiety faced by too many parents desperately searching for food to keep their children fed," she said.
Later on Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced that he was invoking the Defense Production Act to ensure an adequate supply of formula.
Gillibrand thanked Biden. "Let's get parents and babies the relief they need — fast!" she said.
According to Gillibrand, following a recall at Abbott Nutrition, the nation’s largest infant formula manufacturer, reports suggest that roughly 40 perent of formula nationwide is out of stock.
Along with supply chain disruptions as a result of the pandemic, the recall has created a "life or death situation" for many of the millions of families that depend on formula to feed their infants, and without immediate action to speed up the production and distribution of formula, babies who rely on formula may go hungry or starve, she said.
With the nationwide shortage making baby formula almost impossible to find for many, the struggle for mothers desperate to feed their infants is all too real.
With the need intensifying, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a strong warning against price gouging on baby formula in the midst of a nationwide shortage.
Long Island mothers spoke to Patch about the struggle to find formula: For Mattituck mom Fallyn, who asked that her last name not be used, the stakes are high. Her son Wyatt was born in February, eight weeks premature at only 32 weeks' gestation. "We have relied on formula to help him gain weight since he was discharged from the NICU," she said. "We found out pretty early on in the time that he was home that he couldn't metabolize dairy. We quickly had to switch him to Nutramigen since it was the only option," with two other formulas they'd used being recalled, she said. "Not knowing if you are going to have formula for your baby, who relies on it is terrifying — especially when they have to get weight checked regularly since they were born so early. Missing even one feeding or having to give him less could be detrimental to his health. If my son were to stop gaining as much weight due to rationing his formula, he would likely have to be put on a feeding tube."Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
