A $28 million emergency funding bill, introduced Tuesday by House Democrats, intends to help the FDA increase staff, and prepare for future infant formula shortages, reports the The New York Times.
The Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 is expected to reach the House floor this week and lead to a clash between democrats and republicans. Republicans, like Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma, decried the bill during a Rules Committee hearing, calling it “yet another case of creating the appearance of responding without actually doing anything,” according to the report.
Democratic leaders are looking for other solutions as well, working on legislation to ease restrictions on the formula that can be purchased via the federal food assistance program for women and children, accounting for roughly half of infant formula sold in the US.
“We must do something as quickly as possible, but as safely as possible, and use caution, for these babies,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on ABC’s “This Week.” Full Story
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