WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) joined MetroNews’ Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval with guest host Dave Wilson to discuss baby formula shortages, inflation, rising gas prices, and the consequences of President Biden’s irresponsible spending
Click here to watch the full interview.
Highlights:
On Baby Formula Shortages: “As a mother and a grandmother, there would be no greater panic. When you’re a new mother or father, you have to understand why a baby is crying and recognize hunger as one of those things.
"...Roughly 67% of the babies are fed through formula by the age of three months, particularly those mothers who are going back to work and the rest. When you cannot feed your child, that is the most basic problem you could possibly have.”
On Actions the Biden Administration and Congress Should Take to Address Baby Formula Shortages: “The government just did not step up to do what they should have done…I sent a letter with several Congresspeople…saying ‘C’mon, you need to do something to make this happen.’”
“[The Administration] needs to have a plan. You need to coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and the FDA to make sure that the supply chain issues are working out and that there are guardrails so that if something needs to happen that we can act quickly and efficiently in an emergency.”
“[West Virginia families] need to know that we are also watching out to make sure what is done, that those guardrails are here. It’s sort of like having the left hand and right hand working together. You’ve got to make sure that there are eyeballs on what needs to be done. You just don’t throw money at something and go ‘Well I hope they fix it.’”
On Inflation, Rising Gas Prices, and Biden’s Irresponsible Spending: “The inflation has increased every single month since Joe Biden took [the] presidency, and it’s really their economic crisis. All of the spending that we just keep doing, more and more and more spending. The cost of gasoline is up 48%, lodging is up 25%, baby food is up 10%. Everything is rising, and it’s got to stop. The spending has got to stop.”
Background:
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) accounts for about half of all infant formula sales in the United States. Last night, Congresswoman Miller voted for H.R. 7791, the Access to Baby Formula Act. The legislation would require formula manufacturers to submit a plan on how they would protect WIC program participants in the event of a supply chain disruption when bidding for a WIC contract. It would also require coordination between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure awareness of supply chain issues and to support WIC participants. Lastly, the bill would ensure appropriate guardrails are in place while allowing the Secretary of Agriculture to act quickly and efficiently in an emergency.
Earlier this month, Congresswoman Miller joined her House Republican colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden and FDA Commissioner Robert Califf urging them to immediately address the nationwide shortage of baby formula.
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Original source can be found here.
