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U.S. NEWS Thursday 7 July 2022
U.S. to diversify infant formula industry to avoid shortages

By ZEKE MILLER said that by this coming
Associated Press Sunday, its efforts will have
WASHINGTON (AP) — The brought 43 million 8-ounce
Biden administration is try- bottle equivalents of infant
ing to help foreign makers formula into the U.S. and
of baby formula stay on FDA has cleared the equiv-
the U.S. market for the long alent of 400 million 8-ounce
term, in an effort to diversify bottles for import into the
the industry after the clo- U.S. “Infant formula is an es-
sure of the largest domestic sential food product that is
plant sparked a nationwide the sole source of nutrition
shortage. for many babies in the U.S.
The Food and Drug Admin- Companies and their man-
istration on Wednesday ufacturing facilities must
announced plans to help meet rigorous FDA stan-
overseas producers that dards that ensure the for-
have sent supplies to the mula is both safe and nutri-
United States, under emer- tious,” Califf and Mayne
gency approval to address said. “These standards are
the shortfall, secure long- necessary to protect our
term authorization to mar- children and will not be
ket their formula in the U.S. sacrificed for long-term
The agency will provide a Similac Alimentum Hypoallergenic Infant Formula, imported from Puerto Rico, is for sale at a Stew supply considerations.”
way for producers tempo- Leonard’s grocery store in Yonkers, New York, June 10, 2022. The FDA’s policy of tem-
rarily selling in the U.S. to Associated Press porary enforcement dis-
meet existing regulatory strengthen the U.S. infant The U.S. has tried to boost time to assess damage cretion is set to expire in
requirements so they can formula supply is more im- supply of baby formula and sanitize the factory November, but the admin-
stay on the market, provid- portant than ever,” said after regulators in Febru- again after severe thun- istration says it will renew it
ing consumers with more the FDA commissioner, Dr. ary shuttered a Michigan derstorms and heavy rains if necessary to ensure do-
choices and making sup- Robert Califf, and Susan plant run by Abbott, the swept through southwest- mestic supply.
plies more resilient against Mayne, the director of the largest domestic manufac- ern Michigan on June 13. “Today’s announcement
current and future short- agency’s Center for Food turer of baby formula, over In May, the FDA eased fed- by the FDA will help ensure
ages. Safety and Applied Nutri- safety concerns. The plant eral import regulations to the infant formula supply
The FDA will also host meet- tion, in a statement. “The reopened June 4 after the allow baby formula to be market is less vulnerable to
ings and provide producers recent shutdown of a major company committed to shipped to the U.S., and future supply shocks and
with a single point of con- infant formula plant, com- additional sanitizing and President Joe Biden autho- will provide families with
tact to work through the pounded by unforeseen safety protocols, but closed rized the use of the Defense the confidence of steady
regulatory system to make natural weather events, again in mid-June after se- Production Act, providing access to a variety of safe
the application process has shown just how vulner- vere weather caused dam- federal support to get for- infant formulas,” said White
more efficient. able the supply chain has age to the plant. mula from overseas into House spokesman Kevin
“The need to diversify and become.” The company said it needs the U.S. The White House Munoz.q

Feds sue over new Arizona citizenship

proof law for voting

By BOB CHRISTIE Supreme Court in a 2013 has passed a law that turns
Associated Press Arizona case. The Republi- the clock back on progress
PHOENIX (AP) — The U.S. can-controlled Legislature by imposing unlawful and
Department of Justice on was well aware of the fed- unnecessary requirements
Tuesday sued Arizona over eral law and the Supreme that would block eligible
a new law requiring peo- Court decision written by voters from the registra-
ple who use a federal form the late conservative icon, tion rolls for certain federal
to register to vote to pro- Justice Antonin Scalia. But elections,” Clarke said in a
vide additional proof of they went ahead anyway, statement.
citizenship if they want to arguing the new law would The law violates the Civil Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey gives his state of the
vote for president or using boost election security. As- Right Act by requiring state address at the Arizona Capitol, Monday, Jan. 10, 2022,
the state’s popular vote- sistant Attorney General election officials to reject in Phoenix.
by-mail system. Kristen Clarke of the de- registration forms if they Associated Press
The law signed by Republi- partment’s civil rights divi- contain a mistake or leave
can Gov. Doug Ducey on sion called the new law out information that is not not have to provide proof comment, saying the ad-
March 30 is in direct con- that goes into effect in needed to determine that they are citizens. The ministration doesn’t com-
flict with a 1993 federal January “a textbook viola- someone’s right to vote, state’s voters added the ment on litigation. Repub-
voter registration law and tion of the National Voter she said. citizenship proof require- lican Attorney General
also violates the Civil Rights Registration Act.” Ducey said in a March 30 ment in 2004 when they Mark Brnovich, who is run-
Act of 1964, according to She said the National signing letter that the law enacted Proposition 200, ning for U.S. Senate, told
the Justice Department. Voter Registration Act has is designed to address a but it does not apply to the the Justice Department
The law adds requirements helped eliminate require- growing number of vot- federal form. in a July 1 letter that he
for the federal form di- ments that make it hard to ers who registered using Ducey spokesman C.J. would defend the law to
rectly rejected by the U.S. register to vote. “Arizona the federal form who did Karamargin declined to the fullest. q