Formula Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. DelBENE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the ongoing baby formula crisis and urge my colleagues to support the Formula Act.

I raised two kids, and I know the first months of parenthood are tiring and stressful, even in the best of situations.

Now, families across the country are in a dire position as they try to find the formula that they need to feed their babies.

Around the country, 74 percent of formula shelves are empty. In my home State of Washington, we are one of 10 States where over 90 percent of shelves are empty.

Severely stretched supply chains and a major formula plant going offline have left shelves barren. Unreliable formula supply is a critical problem for families. Parents are driving hours to multiple different stores just to find any formula, and that is time that parents don't have.

Changing formulas constantly is also disruptive to babies. It causes digestive problems and excessive crying.

Jessie, a mom in my district, has been struggling to find formula for her infant daughter, Amara. She is not one to ask for help, but when she was running low on her last can, Jessie joined a local social media group where other parents would post where they saw formula on shelves, and she downloaded an app that would notify her when more cans were available. Jessie was able to find formula, but she realizes that she is one of the lucky parents who had the means, the time, and the network to support Amara.

By removing tariffs on foreign formula that meets FDA's safety standards, the Formula Act will make it easier and more affordable for parents to feed their babies so fewer are finding themselves in this difficult situation. This is a commonsense solution, so let's make it happen.

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