2022: Schweikert Voted Against Providing $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, Schweikert voted against 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: Schweikert Effectively Voted Against The Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022. In May 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert 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: Schweikert Effectively Voted Against The Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022. In May 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert 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: Schweikert Effectively Voted Against The Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022. In May 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert 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: Schweikert 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, Schweikert 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: Schweikert 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, Schweikert 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]