U.S. House Approves Emergency Funding for Baby Formula Shortage

Friday, May 20th, 2022 -- 1:00 PM

(Bob Hague, WRN) The U-S House on Wednesday approved 28 million dollars in emergency funding to help address the baby formula shortage.

The bill will provide funding for stepped up Food and Drug Administration oversight of formula production and distribution. It passed with only 12 Republican votes, none from Wisconsin Republicans.

The shortage is driven in part by closure of an Abbott Nutrition plant in Michigan after four infants who had formula from the plant were hospitalized with bacterial infections.

Wisconsin’s delegation unanimously backed a bill that would loosen restrictions on types of formula that can be purchased by families on the federal low income WIC program, which relies largely on products produced by Abbott. Both bills now head to the U-S Senate.

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