Feenstra is Leading the Way to Solve the Formula Crisis

Across Iowa, store shelves are bare, and families are scrambling to find affordable infant formula for their children with limited luck. This is a scary situation – especially for parents – who are spread thin from the pain of inflation, grocery bills, high gas prices, and now, severe formula shortages that threaten the health and development of our children. As our family looks toward having our fifth baby this summer, I am grateful to our Congressman, Randy Feenstra, for leading the way to solve the infant formula crisis and protect the health and wellbeing of our families, children, and communities in Iowa.

Last week, in response to the infant formula shortage, Congressman Feenstra introduced the Formula Act to address this crisis head-on. His legislation requires the Food and Drug Administration to establish clear and uniform standards to regulate infant formula so that we can support domestic production by safely importing formula when shortages impact our families. Parents deserve to be able to buy the infant formula they need without worrying whether store shelves are fully stocked with items critical to their children.

Over the years, Congressman Feenstra and I have worked on policies that reflect our pro-life, pro-family values. In the Iowa Legislature, we worked to advance bills that prioritize our commitment to families, mothers, parents, and our kids by recognizing parents’ fundamental right to be involved in their children’s education and protecting innocent life. At the federal level, Congressman Feenstra – a father of four himself – shares these same values and has voted for countless pieces of legislation that benefit our families and children.

In addition to his important work on infant formula, Congressman Feenstra voted for the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act, which passed the House of Representatives last year. This bipartisan legislation ensures that new moms have the right to breastfeed at work in a clean, private location. This is just another example of our commitment to mothers and their children at work, at home, and at school.

But our work is far from over. In order to make Iowa the best place to live, work, and raise a family, we need to champion commonsense policies that expand our vision for a stronger Iowa and attract young families to begin their lives in our small towns and rural communities. With lawmakers like Congressman Feenstra voicing our concerns in Washington and advocating for our tight-knit communities, I know that our values are well-represented.

As a mom of young kids, I am proud to call Congressman Feenstra a friend and a fellow advocate for working families in Iowa. Together, we will continue to deliver results on the critical priorities that Iowans and parents care about – and we will not stop until we resolve this distressing formula shortage for good. The wellbeing of our children and families demands nothing less.

This op-ed was originally published in the Storm Lake Times on May 26, 2022.