The Biden/Harris Administration, Congress, and the federal government have taken several steps to ensure that families with babies do not have to worry for an extended period whether or not they can purchase formula for their children.
First, the Food and Drug Administration announced a streamlining of the bureaucratic process to allow international manufacturers to ship baby formula.
The Biden/Harris Administration then took several steps to help speed up the manufacture and delivery of baby formula. These steps include:
- Invoking the Defense Production Act where “The Secretary of Health and Human Services may use the authority under section 101 of the Act to determine, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture and the heads of other executive departments and agencies as appropriate, the proper nationwide priorities and allocation of all ingredients necessary to manufacture infant forumla, including controlling the distribution of such materials (including applicable services) in the civilian market, for responding to the shortage of infant formula within the United States.”
- Instigating Operation Fly Formula through the Department of Defense “in order to speed up the import of infant formula and start getting more formula to stores as soon as possible. Under Operation Fly Formula, USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are authorized to use DOD-contracted commercial aircraft to pick up overseas infant formula that meets U.S. health and safety standards, so it can get to store shelves faster.”
- Reaching a reopening compliance deal with Abbot Nutrition, the baby formula plant that had been shut down due to contamination issues.
- Providing hotline links (please click here) to find the latest information on formula availability and resources.
The House of Representatives passed two bills, including a $28 million emergency measure, to help combat the looming shortage.
Unfortunately, as AZ Blue Meanie has already reported, most Republicans, including all of Arizona’s Republican Delegation opposed the $28 million measure and Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar were two of nine Republicans who voted against another measure.
Why would voters elect people that are against making sure babies have formula?
That is question Democrats and their ad makers should be framing right now.
Arizona Reaction to the Federal Government Moves to Mitigate and Stop the Baby Formula Shortage.
There has been several reactions in Democratic Circles to needing to mitigate and stop the Baby Formula shortage.
Arizona Secretary of State and Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Katie Hobbs commented:
“I’m glad that steps are being taken to address this as quickly as possible, but we shouldn’t have been here in the first place. As a mom who has had to run out in the middle of the night for diapers, I understand the concern that families are facing right now, not being able to get the formula they need to feed their babies. The Biden administration should have seen this coming and addressed it much sooner.”
Senator Kyrsten Sinema posted:
We're joining our Senate colleagues to call on the Administration to help Arizona families and implement a national strategy for increasing the availability of infant formula, improving the current supply chain, and protecting against future shortages. https://t.co/pS27wYIJAB
— Kyrsten Sinema (@SenatorSinema) May 18, 2022
Senator Mark Kelly posted:
The current supply shortage of infant formula is serious and has made it increasingly difficult for parents to safely care for their children.
It’s all hands on deck, and manufacturers need to get more baby formula on store shelves right away. https://t.co/Nf9O0tOPUh
— Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) May 16, 2022
Arizona Congressional District Two Representative Ann Kirkpatrick posted:
https://twitter.com/RepKirkpatrick/status/1527407471383433225
Arizona Congressional District Three Representative Raul Grijalva posted:
Thanks to Democrats' actions, families will have greater access to baby formula in the next few days, including:
💰$28M for the FDA to get formula back on shelves
🚼Greater access to WIC for families
⬆️@POTUS actions to increase formula production and bring more to the U.S. https://t.co/2nNryuSCbO— Raul M. Grijalva (@RepRaulGrijalva) May 20, 2022
Arizona Congressional District One Representative Tom O’Halleran posted:
As a father to three and a grandfather to four, I know exactly how essential baby formula can be. Last night, I voted to pass two important bills to address the baby formula shortage. #AZ01 https://t.co/rwfKN2U3hZ
— Archived: Rep. Tom O'Halleran (@RepOHalleran) May 19, 2022
Arizona Congressional District Nine Representative Greg Stanton posted:
Making sure Arizona parents have access to safe, affordable infant formula is urgent, and I'm working to ensure that all babies have the nutrition they need to be healthy and grow.
I voted yesterday to get @US_FDA the emergency funding it needs to address this shortage. https://t.co/GpMHDQInkI
— Rep. Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) May 19, 2022
Children’s Action Alliance and former Arizona Democratic Leader David Lujan commented:
“I am glad to see the steps the administration has taken and I hope they continue to make it a priority until we see formula in good supply on store shelves again.”
Matt Grodsky, the Vice President of Matters of State Strategies, relayed:
“While the White House is clearly taking steps to respond to this crisis, this is compounding everyday voters’ concerns about the economy and making the pitch harder for Democrats. It is in Democrats’ best interest to expedite solutions to this problem, articulate those solutions clearly, and pass legislation to rack up wins candidates can run on ahead of the midterm elections. The clock is ticking.”
Arizona Congressional District Six Candidate Kirsten Engel posted:
As an unapologetically pro-Mom candidate, endorsed by @MomsFedUp, Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick's PAC, I support these measures to get formula on our shelves to keep babies fed and healthy! https://t.co/oqzWd3vMN2
— Kirsten Engel (@EngelForArizona) May 19, 2022
Arizona Democratic Congressional District Five Candidate Javier Ramos wrote:
“We should no longer be surprised by the disconnect that Congressman Biggs has to the residents of Arizona. Biggs, in his most recent no vote, voted against providing much need funding for the manufacture and purchase of baby formula. The supplemental nutritional program for low income families known as WIC is the last line of defense in combating malnourishment in our vulnerable populations.
Congressman Biggs, who is a multimillionaire, has never had to wonder where his next meal would come from. Mr. Biggs attempt on scoring political points is only hurting the Americans who he swore to protect.
Anyone can advocate for the unborn because they do not need baby formula to exist and Biggs can advocate for them without having to provide money or resources for them but once the unborn is born Biggs neglects them. Congressman Biggs is the worse of the worse. Biggs portrays that he is on the higher moral ground but in reality he provides nothing to promote the general welfare of our Community. Biggs lets our citizens suffer while all along he sits in his ivory tower in Virginia.
The preamble to our Constitution is worth repeating:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Promoting the general welfare of our citizens was of paramount concern to our founding fathers that Congressman Biggs has conveniently ignored.”