WASHINGTON - House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) today introduced H.R. 7790, a supplemental appropriations bill to provide $28 million in emergency funding to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the resources it needs to address the urgent infant formula shortage and help prevent it from ever happening again.
“The stories of mothers and fathers struggling to find formula and the images of empty store shelves are heartbreaking," said Chair DeLauro. “Parents and caretakers across the country cannot wait-they need our support now. This bill takes important steps to restore supply in a safe and secure manner. Additionally, with these funds, FDA will be able to help to prevent this issue from occurring again. While we know we have more work to do to get to the bottom of serious safety concerns at an Abbott facility and the FDA’s failure to address them with any sense of urgency, this bill is the first step to help restock shelves and end this shortage."
“This is an all-hands-on-deck emergency situation. This legislation gets needed resources into the field to ensure that the existing baby formula supply is safe and back on supermarket shelves," said Subcommittee Chair Bishop. “I am eager for this week’s hearing to find answers as to how this food safety failure occurred and identify ways to prevent it from happening again. In the meantime, today’s legislation is an important step forward in helping American families get safe and reliable infant formula to feed their children."
This bill provides FDA with the resources to prevent fraudulent products from being placed on shelves and to help acquire better data on the infant formula marketplace. This bill also funds the balance of necessary FDA activities, strengthens the workforce focused on formula issues, and increases FDA inspection staff.
The full text of the legislation is.
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
