May 18, 2022

Toomey Statement on President Biden Invoking DPA to Address Baby Formula Shortage

Calls on the Administration to Reverse Costly Protectionist and Welfare Policies That Fueled the Shortage

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) released the following statement after the Biden administration invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to force companies to produce baby formula ingredients.

“First, it seems the administration has no use for the word ‘defense’ in Defense Production Act. Beyond misusing the DPA statute every time there’s a temporary product shortage, today’s action masks the costly protectionist and welfare policies that created this problem in the first place. To fix the shortage, the administration and Congress should cut the hefty import taxes on baby formula and amend the USMCA so the U.S. isn’t limited in how much formula we can import from Canada. We should also reform the aspects of the WIC program that have reduced competition in the infant formula market and made the country more vulnerable to supply disruptions.”

The Senate Banking Committee has jurisdiction over the Defense Production Act.

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