Gov. Brad Little, 18 Republican governors call on Biden to increase infant formula availability

Gov. Brad Little joined 18 other republican governors Friday in calling on President Joe Biden to increase access to infant formula availability.

The 19 governors in a letter addressed to Biden asked for "aggressive action" from the administration to "suspend red tape that limits the importation of safe infant formulas." The governor's called on Biden suspend tariffs, quotas or any other trade restrictions on infant formula and to update FDA labeling standards on foreign formula. The letter also calls for more long-term solutions to "improve Americas domestic supply chain," including changing the format of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program and further examination of FDA recall orders.

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"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," the letter reads.

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The letter states out-of-stock rate for formula is now 40% nationwide and up to 50% in some states.

"There is perhaps no singular source of nourishment more necessary for the welfare of our nation than the nutrition provided to our infants," the letter states. "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."