Majority Leader Schumer Floor Schumer Announces Senate Passage Of Legislation To Provide Greater Access To Baby Formula; Access To Baby Formula Act Of 2022 Now Heads To President Biden’s Desk

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor to announce Senate passage of legislation to provide greater access to baby formula. The Access to Baby Formula Act now heads to President Biden’s desk. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

The Senate has just passed legislation to help ease the terrible nightmare parents are facing trying to find baby formula for their kids.

It’s rare that we have unanimity in the Senate on important measures, and I wish we had more. But this is one of those important issues, and I am glad we are acting with one voice.

It is the stuff of nightmares for parents to race to the grocery store or the drug store only to find the shelves empty of baby formula, or even worse—maybe causing more anguish—there's formula on the shelf but they can't buy it because WIC didn’t allow them to.

This shortage of baby formula is causing unimaginable stress, unimaginable anguish for parents, and immense harm on America’s young kids.

There is already such a strain on parents of newborn children, especially in the times of COVID. The last thing parents and caregivers need is for it to be even harder to feed their children.

The step we are taking today is going to add flexibility and relief to WIC beneficiaries, and almost half of all baby formula consumed in the U.S. is by WIC beneficiaries. Now millions of parents will have an easier time finding the baby formula they need.

I want to thank Senator Stabenow. She has been amazing in shepherding this through. She got it through the house. She came up with the idea, and now we're here to pass it on the Senate and send it to the President's desk. And she had a great partner in Senator Boozman, who stepped up to the plate as well. So I thank them for championing this legislation. As I mentioned, it already passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support and I am glad it is passing the Senate.

Now, yesterday, President Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to respond to the shortage of baby formula that’s hurting parents and caretakers of newborns across the country. The President and Democrats in Congress are taking the issue seriously and invoking the DPA was exactly the right response.

To the parents and caregivers of America: we hear you, we know this is an unacceptable crisis, and the Senate is taking action. President Biden has taken action to increase imports of safe baby formula and to increase production of formula in our country. The House has taken action, and now the Senate is.

And we must keep going because there is more to do.

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