May 21, 2022
Dear Friends,
Addressing the heath needs of Americans is one of my top priorities in Congress. Access to quality, affordable healthcare and basic health necessities is a human right, and I’m fighting every day alongside my colleagues in the House to increase access to critical treatments and supplies. Just this week, I joined the Energy and Commerce Committee to advance key pieces of legislation I sponsored to improve access to addiction treatments and accelerate development of new treatments for rare diseases. I built on that work further by addressing two critical issues affecting the wellbeing of millions of Americans: the nationwide baby formula shortage and the devastating disease of Alzheimer’s.
Responding to the baby formula shortage
No parent should ever have to wonder how they will feed their child, but the nationwide formula shortage has made that a reality for countless families. Congressional action is urgently needed to quickly get safe formula to parents and their babies and to take steps to avoid future formula crises. On Wednesday, my colleagues in the House and I took that action, passing two bills that will ensure every baby has the nutrition they need.
First, Congress passed a supplemental funding bill to provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with badly needed resources to help address the baby formula shortage. By increasing the number of FDA inspection staff, helping the agency stop fraudulent formula from entering the marketplace, and improving data collection on the formula market, we are giving the FDA the tools they need to combat this shortage and prevent future disruptions.
Our most vulnerable families have been disproportionately affected by this shortage, and about half of infant formula sold nationwide is purchased using Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits. The Access to Baby Formula Act responds to this need, providing flexibility for low-income families who use WIC to continue purchasing safe infant formula with their benefits during crises such as supply chain disruptions.
Building on our efforts in Congress, President Biden also invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to ensure that manufacturers have the necessary ingredients to ramp up production of safe, healthy baby formula. Biden also announced the launch of Operation Fly Formula, a measure to speed up imports of infant formula and start getting more supplies onto shelves as soon as possible. And next week, I’ll be joining an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee hearing to hear testimony from top FDA officials as well as executives from three major formula companies, and I’ll question industry leaders on the actions they’re taking to tackle this crisis and prevent future shortages. With these important measures in Congress and from the Biden Administration, we are working hard to ensure that no family need wonder how they will obtain supplies essential to their children’s health.
Fighting Alzheimer’s disease
This week, I also introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at prioritizing research on Alzheimer’s disease and supporting scientists in the development of treatments and potential cures. My National Alzheimer’s Project Reauthorization Act reauthorizes the National Alzheimer’s Project through 2035, providing a roadmap for federal efforts in responding to Alzheimer’s and dementia.
People living with Alzheimer’s and their loved ones deserve compassionate, accessible, and comprehensive support—support that Congress can deliver. I’ve long worked alongside advocates at the national and local level to deliver that support. Just this week, I was honored to accept the Alzheimer’s Association’s AIM Humanitarian of the Year Award for my work to support individuals and their loved ones living with Alzheimer’s. The hard work and steadfast resolve of families and advocates fuels my voice in Washington, and I will always stand with them in the fight to end Alzheimer’s.
I’m working hard every day to address the health-related challenges facing American individuals and families. With this week’s action, we’ve taken significant steps to alleviate the baby formula shortage crisis and the devastation of Alzheimer’s disease. But, our work is not yet done. I won’t stop fighting until every American family has access to the health services and resources they need to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has compiled a fact sheet to help families find formula during the present infant formula shortage.
- The Biden Administration has taken action to address the shortage, including cutting red tape on the types of formula parents can buy, increasing domestic production, cracking down on price gouging, and increasing the supply of formula imports.
- Still, too many families continue to face challenges finding baby formula. If you are unable to readily find formula, the following resources are available to assist:
- Manufacturer Hotlines
- Gerber’s MyGerber Baby Expert, where you can reach a certified nutrition or lactation consultant who can help identify the right formula for you.
- Abbott’s Consumer Hotline (1-800-986-8540) or their urgent product request line: ask your OBGYN or your infant’s pediatrician to submit an urgent product request by downloading and completing this form.
- Reckitt’s Customer Service line (1-800-222-9123)
- Community Resources
- General Guidance
- Call your OBGYN or pediatrician to see if they have in-office samples or can suggest a similar formula that may be more readily available in stores and is nutritionally similar to your infant’s typical formula.
- More guidance is available from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
