Bill Overview
Title: Emergency Infant Formula Act
Description: This bill addresses the shortage of infant formula in the United States, including by authorizing the President to take certain actions to expedite the importation of such formula. Specifically, the bill authorizes the President to declare through an executive order that a shortage of infant formula exists in the United States. The President may use authorities provided under the Defense Production Act of 1950 in the production of infant formula. Additionally, the President may authorize the importation, distribution, and sale of any covered infant formula if the applicable brand, manufacturer, manufacturing plant, or the specific infant formula product is included in the executive order. Covered infant formula generally refers to any infant formula that is lawfully marketed in the European Union, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, or any country the President determines has sufficient health and safety standards with respect to infant formula. The bill exempts imported infant formula from U.S. labeling requirements. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must require retailers of imported infant formula to place a label on the product indicating it has not been approved by the FDA. The bill also authorizes the President to reduce or suspend any duties on the importation of covered infant formula or articles used in the production of infant formula. U.S. Customs and Border Protection must give the highest priority and take steps as necessary to expedite the processing of all entries of covered infant formula and articles used in the production of infant formula.
Sponsors: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Target Audience
Population: Infants requiring infant formula worldwide and their caregivers
Estimated Size: 7600000
- The bill aims to address the shortage of infant formula, which directly affects infants as they rely on this product for nutrition.
- Parents and guardians of infants will also be impacted as they are responsible for sourcing and providing infant formula to their children.
- Healthcare providers and pediatricians might also be affected as they would be advising and supporting parents in responding to this shortage.
- Retailers who sell infant formula may experience changes in supply chain dynamics and their inventory management due to the importation and distribution processes enabled by the bill.
- Manufacturers and suppliers from abroad may have increased opportunities in the U.S. market, especially those from regions specified in the bill.
Reasoning
- The population affected by this policy is primarily new parents and their infants who rely on infant formula. Considering the limited budget and scope of the policy, it heavily influences families facing infant formula shortages.
- Infants consuming formula are the direct recipients of benefits, but their guardians also feel the impact due to potential ease or difficulty in sourcing formula.
- Healthcare providers advising new parents are indirectly impacted as they may have to navigate changes in recommended formula brands or origins.
- The policy's budget is capped at $100 million initially, which constrains how extensively it can mitigate shortages, especially across different socio-economic backgrounds.
- The policy might not impact all demographics equally if the distribution channels fail to reach rural areas or low-income families reliant on certain retail points.
Simulated Interviews
IT Specialist (New York, NY)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's been tough finding the right formula due to constant out-of-stock issues.
- I hope this means I don't have to worry about my baby's nutrition as much with a more stable supply.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 2 |
Retail Store Manager (Dallas, TX)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a store manager, availability issues affect not just my customers but my sales figures.
- I believe this policy could help streamline restocking processes and meet customer demand.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Stay-at-home parent (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Every shopping trip is a gamble on whether I can get the formula my twins need.
- This policy sounds like it might prioritize the availability of specialized formulas.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 2 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 1 |
Pediatrician (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I often see stress in parents unable to find their infants' formula brands.
- If this policy ensures a regular supply, it will greatly ease parents' concerns and help in providing reliable advice.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Farmer (Rural Kentucky)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Finding formula has been difficult since we live far from major stores.
- I hope the policy considers distribution to rural areas, not just cities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 2 |
Healthcare provider (Miami, FL)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our clinic sees a lot of low-income families struggling to afford formula.
- Perhaps the policy could help lower prices if not just availability is addressed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
CEO of a Formula Production Company (Seattle, WA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While we welcome the competition, I hope safety standards remain high for imported products.
- We might need to rethink our production and marketing strategies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 6 |
Lactation Consultant (Detroit, MI)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Many moms I work with turn to formula when they can't breastfeed enough.
- The policy might save stress if it also supports alternative feeding methods instead of just importation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Policy Analyst (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 44 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy expands the reach of foreign formulas which might bridge gaps in supply.
- It'll be crucial to monitor effects on trade relations and domestic producers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Daycare Worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Shortage times heighten stress for parents dropping off infants.
- If formula reliability improves, it reduces parental anxiety and makes day-to-day operations smoother.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $100000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $150000000)
Year 2: $110000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $160000000)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Regulation changes on infant formula could have health implications that need to be managed carefully.
- Monitoring the long-term dependency on imports if domestic production doesn't catch up.
- Short-term alleviations should be paired with incentives for boosting domestic production capabilities.