President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he was invoking the Defense Production Act to boost baby formula production amid a nationwide shortage.
In a video message posted to social media, President Biden spoke to the American people and explained the actions his administration is taking to address the shortage.
"I know parents all across the country are worried about finding enough infant formula to feed their babies," Biden said. "As a parent and as a grandparent. I know just how stressful that is."
The Defense Production Act is a Korean War-era law that allows the president to direct private companies to produce goods to support national defense. In this instance, Biden is mandating that suppliers redirect resources necessary for formula production to the manufacturers before other customers.
"Today, I'm invoking what they're called the defense production act to ensure that manufacturers have the necessary ingredients to make safe, healthy infant formula here at home," Biden said in a video message. "The defense production Act gives the government the ability to require suppliers to direct needed resources to infant formula manufacturers before any other customer who may have ordered that good."
Biden also launched "Operation Fly Formula," authorizing the Pentagon to use commercial aircraft to fly formula supplies that meet U.S. standards into the country from overseas.
"That's to be able to speed up the import of infant formula and start getting more formula in stores as soon as possible," Biden said. "I've directed the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services to send aircraft planes overseas to pick up infant formula that meets us health and safety standards, so we can get it on a store shelves faste."
The Defense Department "will use its contracts with commercial air cargo lines, as it did to move materials during the early months of the COVID pandemic, to transport products from manufacturing facilities abroad that have met Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety standards," the White House said.
"I've directed my team to do everything possible to ensure there's enough safe baby formula, and then as quickly reaching families have needed the most," Biden concluded, pledging: "This is one of my top priorities, and I'll continue to keep you updated on our progress."
The president had faced pressure from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to invoke the Defense Production Act to address the formula shortage.
The shortage comes from a February recall by Abbott Nutrition, the largest domestic supplier of powdered formula, including Similac, Alimentum and EleCare. Abbott initiated the recall and closed the Sturgis, Michigan, plant where the impacted products were produced, which exacerbated supply chain issues nationwide and left fewer options available.
A group of 20 Democrats and Republicans, led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., introduced a resolution calling for Biden to invoke the law in order to “increase the production of baby formula and provide for the equitable distribution of baby formula through federally qualified health centers.” News of the resolution was first reported by Axios.
Notable lawmakers in the group included Rep. Tom Suozzi, who is making a bid to become New York’s next governor, Republican Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Maria Salazar, R-Fla., and a number of House Democrats in competitive swing districts — Reps. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., Chris Pappas, D-N.H., Elaine Luria, D-Va., and Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J. — underscoring the importance of addressing the issues of shortages and price increases rankling Americans.
A bipartisan group of Senators had also introduced a similar bill. Co-sponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., the bill would also “establish a process to approve the sale of European-produced infant formulas to address the ongoing shortage.”
“This crisis is putting the lives of America’s babies in jeopardy,” Rubio said in a statement. “We must increase the supply of infant formula as quickly as possible, and this legislation would provide the tools to do so. We cannot afford to wait any longer.”
"No parent should struggle to get the formula that they need to feed their babies and keep them healthy and safe," Hassan wrote. "This commonsense, bipartisan bill will help increase the availability of baby formula, and I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation quickly. I will also keep pushing manufacturers and the administration to increase supply as fast as possible.”
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand also said that she would call on Biden to invoke the DPA for formula, telling NPR's "All Things Considered" last week that it "is a life or death issue."
Abbott on Tuesday announced it had reached a deal with the FDA to reopen the Michigan plant impacted by the recall after the Biden administration worked to bring the plant, the country's largest, back online. The company said that product can begin hitting shelves within weeks of the facility being reopened
House Democrats have also introduced an emergency $28 million spending bill to address the formula shortage, which would increase Food and Drug Administration staffing to boost inspections of domestic and international suppliers, prevent fraudulent products from getting onto store shelves and acquire better data on the marketplace.
This is a breaking news story. Check back later for further updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.