By Charles Boothe, Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., is still looking for answers on the recent baby formula shortage, and a plan to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Capito and her Republican colleagues, led by Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., who is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) seeking answers on recent baby formula shortages.
They also asked for an investigation into the impact sole-source contracts in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program may have had.
The share of formula in the United States that is consumed by WIC infants is estimated to be over 50 percent.
“We have heard concerns expressed about the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) impact on the infant formula market, in particular in the light of current supply shortages,” the senators wrote. “The shutdown of the Abbott manufacturing plant led to foreseeable shortages of certain infant formula products for WIC participants, but also affects non-WIC formula buyers, retailers and grocers.” …
