Malinowski Votes To Improve Access To Baby Formula Amid Shortage – Bridgewater, NJ Patch

DISTRICT 7 — Congressman Tom Malinowski voted to pass two bills on Thursday to help families get baby formula amid an ongoing shortage due to inflation, supply chain issues and recalls in the state and around the country.

One of the bills — the emergency supplemental funding bill — would provide $28 million for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to increase inspections of baby formula at domestic and foreign suppliers, stop unsafe products from getting onto store shelves, and improve monitoring of the supply chain.

The second bill, the Access to Baby Formula Act, allows low-income families to enroll in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. This would allow those families to use their benefits on any infant formula products that may be safe and available during extenuating circumstances like supply chain shortages or public health emergencies.

Previously, families were limited to purchasing certain brands, including those affected by the current shortage.

“No new parent in America should ever have to worry about feeding their children,” said Malinowski, who represents all of Hunterdon County and parts of Essex, Somerset, Morris, Union and Warren counties. “The legislation we moved forward will enable many more parents to purchase formula today, and help ensure that a supply chain crisis like this never happens again.”

This follows Gov. Phil Murphy’s state of emergency declaration on Tuesday.

Under the state of emergency, baby formula prices deemed excessive may also be considered illegal under the Consumer Fraud Act. Expired or unauthorized formula will also be continually investigated by the Division of Consumer Affairs, Murphy said.

Those looking to make a profit by increasing baby formula prices will face “severe penalties,” according to New Jersey Acting Attorney General Platkin.

Currently, four companies control nearly 90 percent of the infant formula market including Abbott, whose was flagged for having unsanitary plant conditions. Abbott controls more than 40 percent of the market.

“This means that supply disruptions at any one of these companies can have significant, reverberating effects across the country,” said Malinowski. “It is critical that we add more competition to the infant formula market to protect consumers going forward and that manufacturers enhance their commitment to operating sanitary facilities.”

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