President Joe Biden on July 21 signed into law a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) to temporarily suspend tariffs on infant formula approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“I thank President Biden for signing the Formula Act. No family should worry whether shelves will be stocked with the formula they need to feed their infants,” Rep. Smith said. “This is a step in the right direction, but our work cannot end here. We must ensure a crisis like this never happens again.”
The Formula Act, H.R. 8351, which Rep. Smith cosponsored on July 13 with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), will provide duty-free treatment to infant formula through Dec. 31, 2022, according to the congressional record bill summary.
“While I certainly wish the president would have acted sooner — and we’re still waiting on a comprehensive plan to address the shortage of infant formula — families need action now,” said Rep. Smith. “This measure will help make formula more accessible and affordable by easing tariffs on imported, FDA-approved products while domestic production ramps back up.”
In June, according to the congressman’s staff, Rep. Smith was the Republican co-lead on the Affordable and Accessible Infant Formula Act, H.R. 8174. On July 13, H.R. 8351 was introduced with minor technical changes to mirror H.R. 8174.
The U.S. House of Representatives on July 15 voted 421-2 to approve H.R. 8351, which the U.S. Senate passed on July 21, sending it to President Biden, who signed the bill into law that same day.