Underwood Continues Work to Address Infant Formula Shortage and Ensure Families Can Access Formula

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) continued her work to end the infant formula shortage and ensure families can access safe and affordable formula. During an Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing, Underwood urged the Administration to take an all-hands-on-deck approach until every family has access to the safe formula they need.

"I want to acknowledge just how terrifying our nation's infant formula shortage is for parents, and how urgent our response must be – from the Administration, formula manufacturers, and retailers," said Underwood. "I urged the Administration to do everything in its power to quickly and safely get formula to store shelves, and I voted to make more formula accessible to low-income families and provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with additional resources to ensure this never happens again."

Underwood questioned witnesses about the need for more support for growing families, such as support for breastfeeding, to help parents access nutrition their infants need.

The formula shortage has taken a dangerous toll on vulnerable women and children enrolled in WIC benefits. In response, Underwood voted for the Access to Baby Formula Act, which supports low-income families by ensuring they can continue purchasing safe infant formula with their WIC benefits during a crisis, such as a supply chain disruption or public health emergency. Underwood also voted for the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, which provides the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with resources to help address the current infant formula shortage and prevent a crisis like this from ever happening again.

Full video of Underwood's remarks can be found here.

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