2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Provide $28 Million In Emergency
Appropriations To Address The Baby Formula Shortage And Prevent Future
Shortages, Including Preventing Fraudulent Products Entering The
Market. In May 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick
voted for the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022,
which would "provide $28 million in emergency appropriations for the
Food and Drug Administration to address the current shortage and prevent
future shortages of FDA-regulated infant formula and certain medical
foods, including to prevent fraudulent products from entering the U.S.
market. It would require the FDA to report to Congress weekly on
obligations of funding provided by the bill." The vote was on passage.
The House passed the bill by a vote of 231-192, thus the bill was sent
to the Senate. [House Vote 220,
5/18/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
7790]
The $28 Million To The FDA Would Address The Baby Formula
Shortage, Including By Adding More Inspectors Who Could Provide
Clearance For Additional Manufacturers To Supply Baby Formula.
According to The Wall Street Journal, "Democrats also unveiled a
bill to provide $28 million to the Food and Drug Administration,
including to add more inspectors who could clear additional
manufacturers to supply U.S. customers." [Wall Street Journal,
5/17/22]
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf Argued The FDA Was Unaware Of The
October 2021 Whistleblower Report That Alleged Safety Concerns At
The Abbott Formula Plant Because The Report Was Lost In The
Mailroom, And He Emphasized The FDA Lacked Resources And Was
Undergoing Backlogs Due To The Pandemic. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "Testifying before the House Energy and
Commerce Committee's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee,
Califf said the FDA was unaware of an October 2021 whistleblower
report alleging safety issues at the Abbott formula plant in
Michigan because the report got lost in the mailroom. Califf,
defending the agency, repeatedly told lawmakers that the FDA
workforce lacks resources and is burned out after two and a half
years of monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic. He argued that severe
issues with the supply chain and a general lack of resources make it
difficult to manage the safety of the American food supply."
[Congressional Quarterly,
5/25/22]
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf Argued The $28 Million Was A Start
To Getting More Baby Formula Inspectors And The Agency Needed More
Defecated Funding To Improve Their Oversight Of Food Safety.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "Califf said the money would
go toward getting more infant formula inspectors but that the House
bill is just a 'drop in the bucket' in terms of what the agency
needs to improve its oversight. 'We need dedicated funding to really
make this happen,' Califf said." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/25/22]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Infant Formula
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022. In May 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the "Hinson, R-Iowa,
motion to recommit the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act to
the House Appropriations Committee." The vote was on a motion to
recommit. The House rejected the motion by a vote of 202-218. [House
Vote 219, 5/18/22;
Congressional Quarterly,
5/18/22; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
7790]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Infant Formula
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022. In May 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "adoption of the
rule (H Res 1124) that would provide for floor consideration of [...]
the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act (HR 7790)." The vote
was on the adoption of the rule. The House adopted the rule by a vote of
218-202. [House Vote 209,
5/18/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
7790;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1124]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Infant Formula
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022. In May 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "motion to order
the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment)
on the rule (H Res 1124) that would provide for floor consideration of
[...] the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act (HR 7790)."
The vote was on a motion to order the previous question. The House
agreed to the motion by a vote of 217-201. [House Vote 208,
5/18/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
7790;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1124]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Permit Vendors To Replace Unavailable
Products With Other Products That Would Not Be Eligible Under WIC, Waive
Maximum Monthly Allowances For Baby Formula And Waive Medical
Documentation Requirements For Non-Contract Formula During A Supply
Chain Disruption. In May 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick voted for the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022, which
would "specifically allow waivers in the case of a supply chain
disruption to allow vendors to substitute unavailable products with
others that are normally not eligible under the program, waive maximum
monthly allowances for infant formula and waive medical documentation
requirements for non-contract formula." The vote was on passage. The
House passed the bill by a vote of 414-9, thus the bill was sent to the
Senate and President and ultimately became law. [House Vote 218,
5/18/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
7791]
The Bill Allowed More Baby Formula To Be Purchased With Money From
WIC, Which Supports Low-Income Women, Infants, And Children.
According to NBC News, "The House voted 414-9 to approve a measure
that would allow more formula to be purchased with money from a
federal program that aids low-income women, infants and children."
[NBC News,
5/18/22]
The Waivers During An Emergency Would Allow WIC Recipients To Swap
One Brand Of Baby Formula For A Different One And Exempt Recipients
From The Maximum Monthly Allowances. According to The Wall Street
Journal, "In an emergency, the U.S. government would also be
authorized to waive rules so that recipients could swap one brand of
formula for another and be exempt from maximum monthly allowances."
[Wall Street Journal,
5/17/22]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Require States' Baby Formula Contracts For
The WIC Program To Include Solutions In The Instance Of A Formula
Recall, Including Protections Against Disruption For Program
Participants. In May 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick voted for the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022, which
would "also require states' infant formula contracts for the WIC
program to include remedies in the event of a formula recall, including
how the manufacturer would protect against disruption to program
participants." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a
vote of 414-9, thus the bill was sent to the Senate and President and
ultimately became law. [House Vote 218,
5/18/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/18/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
7791]