On May 17, House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced H.R. 7790, a supplemental appropriations bill to provide $28 million in emergency funding to address the shortage of infant formula in the US for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022. The bill is intended to provide the FDA with needed resources to address the shortage, prevent fraudulent products from being sold, acquire better data on the infant formula marketplace, and to help prevent a future recurrence.

Representative DeLauro stated that FDA does not currently have an adequate inspection force to inspect more plants if it approves additional applications to sell formula in the US. Thus, the supplemental appropriations are intended for “salaries and expenses.”

Relatedly, the House Appropriations Committee will hold two hearings this week to examine the recent recall of infant formula, the FDA’s handling of the recall, and the nationwide infant formula shortage.