Owens Co-Sponsors Legislation to Address Baby Formula Shortage

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) co-sponsored the Access to Baby Formula Act, bipartisan legislation to help improve access to infant formula for families in Utah and across the country amid the current national shortage. 

“Over 40% of America’s top-selling baby formula products are out of stock, leaving Utah moms and dads scrambling to feed their newborns,” said Rep. Owens. “Unlike Speaker Pelosi’s Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, the Access to Baby Formula Act is a real solution that will strengthen this vital supply chain, keep shelves stocked, and prevent future shortages. Feeding America’s babies should not be a controversial issue, and I’m proud to support this critical effort.”

Specifically, the legislation would: 

  • Require manufacturers to submit a plan with their bids for contracts covering how they will address an emergency or disruption without impacting WIC recipients.
  • Allow the Secretary of Agriculture to issue a narrow set of waivers in the event of an emergency or disruption to help formula get back on the shelves quickly.
  • Require states to be transparent about the need for the emergency declaration and any potential renewal and requires the states to inform the manufacturers of the declaration to ensure they are a part of the conversation.

The full legislative text is available here.

###

Recent Posts


Sep 10, 2024
Blog

A Leadership Failure at Every Level

The House Foreign Affairs Committee just released its long-awaited report on the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Check out this brief excerpt from the report:  When President Biden decided to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan, he set an arbitrary deadline of August 31, 2021, not based on any strategic or military necessity, but for the political […]



Rep. Owens to Cardona: Stop Favoring Illegal Immigrants Over America’s Students

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Burgess Owens (UT-04) joined a group of Education and the Workforce Committee members in urging the Biden-Harris Department of Education to halt a proposed rule that would give illegal immigrants access to taxpayer-funded college preparatory programs referred to as the TRIO programs.  “The Department of Education’s TRIO expansion proposal is not […]



Aug 28, 2024
Congress

Owens Announces $255,000 DOJ Grant Award for Juab County Sheriff’s Office

WASHINGTON — Congressman Burgess Owens (UT-04) announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded a $255,000 grant to the Juab County Sheriff’s Office. This funding, secured as part of the FY24 Congressionally Directed Spending, will be utilized for critical police equipment and technology upgrades. “Ensuring that our law enforcement agencies have up to […]