Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and 150 House Democrats urged continued action from the Biden Administration to address the infant and specialty formula shortage. The White House has announced they are working with key formula manufacturers to increase production, cut red tape to speed imports, and quickly get these products back on the shelves. The letter, led by Reps. John Larson (D-Conn.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) encourages the Administration to continue its whole of government response and to treat these products as a priority in their broader supply chain resilience efforts. 

“Constituents in our districts have been unable to find the formula needed for their children. The federal government must do everything in its power to alleviate product shortages and ensure distribution is equitable and does not trigger scarcity pricing surges,” they wrote. “We cannot let product shortages come between the decisions made by parents and pediatricians on how to best feed their children.”

“We are heartened by the actions already taken to address these shortages, including working with manufacturers to increase output, expediting approval on minor manufacturing and import requirements, facilitating more targeted retail distributions, and allowing disbursement of Abbott Nutrition products when medically necessary,” the Members continued. “We urge your Administration to continue ‘around the clock’ efforts to resolve shortages.”

The full letter is available online and below.

Dear Mr. President, 

We write to thank your Administration for actions already undertaken to alleviate shortages of infant and specialty formula products and urge you to continue a whole of government response towards getting products back on the shelf. 

Constituents in our districts have been unable to find the formula needed for their children. The federal government must do everything in its power to alleviate product shortages and ensure distribution is equitable and does not trigger scarcity pricing surges. We cannot let product shortages come between the decisions made by parents and pediatricians on how to best feed their children. 

We are heartened by the actions already taken to address these shortages, including working with manufacturers to increase output, expediting approval on minor manufacturing and import requirements, facilitating more targeted retail distributions, and allowing disbursement of Abbott Nutrition products when medically necessary. We urge your Administration to continue “around the clock” efforts to resolve shortages. 

Further, as your Administration works to address supply chain vulnerabilities brought to light by the COVID-19 pandemic, we urge you to consider how vital these products are to American families and include them in your Administration’s priority efforts to address supply chain resiliency. Additionally, we ask for a review of any long-standing agency issues that may have led to warning signs being missed prior to these recalls being necessary at a time of global supply chain instability. 

We stand ready to work with you to provide whatever resources are needed to get formula back on the shelves and readily available. 

Sincerely, 

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