19 GOP Governors Call on Joe Biden to Act on Baby Formula Shortage

May 27, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, 19 Republican governors, led by Governor Bill Lee (TN), issued a joint letter to President Joe Biden calling for action to end the shortage of baby formula on shelves across the nation. The letter outlines actions the Biden administration should take to kickstart the production and distribution of formula to provide relief to the over 8.2 million Americans that regularly purchase formula.

After months of inaction from the Biden administration on America’s struggling domestic supply chain, the out of stock rate for formula is now up to 50% in many states. With more than half of infants aged 3 months or older reliant on baby formula, this shortage should be seen as a national crisis. Republican governors will continue to call on the Biden administration to enact solutions and will work to ensure consumers get access to necessary goods.

Signatories to the letter include: Governors Bill Lee (TN), Doug Ducey (AZ), Asa Hutchinson (AR), Ron DeSantis (FL), Brian Kemp (GA), Kim Reynolds (IA), Brad Little (ID), Larry Hogan (MD), Tate Reeves (MS), Greg Gianforte (MT), Pete Ricketts (NE), Doug Burgum (ND), Chris Sununu (NH), Kevin Stitt (OK), Mike DeWine (OH), Henry McMaster (SC), Greg Abbott (TX), Spencer Cox (UT), and Mark Gordon (WY).

Portions of the letter included below:

“As governors, we are committed to protecting the life, health, safety, and welfare of our citizens, especially our vulnerable infant population. The supply chain for essential goods is broken, and while we have a vested interest in promoting free commerce amongst our states, a crisis that risks the lives of our youngest demands immediate, decisive, and robust action.
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“There is perhaps no singular source of nourishment more necessary for the welfare of our nation than the nutrition provided to our infants. In addition to expanding domestic production through your invoking the Defense Production Act, we believe the Administration should identify where regulatory barriers hastened this crisis.
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“Finally, we must recognize the important partnership with retailers, producers, and non-profits that are going above and beyond to meet the challenge.  We stand ready to enhance the partnership between our states and the federal government as well as the private and public sectors to assist parents in need.  Now is the time parents need the assurance that they can provide the basic necessities for their family, and nothing is more critical than infant formula.”

View the signed joint letter here.