Nine GOP lawmakers in the House of Representatives have voted against two separate bills aiming to facilitate the purchase of baby formula for those on low-income federal support programs.
The Access to Baby Formula Act, also known as H.R. 7791, would address the nationwide baby formula shortage that is causing rising concern for parents across the country by allowing low-income women to buy more baby formula through the federal Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program.
The bill passed 414-9 with bipartisan support in a House vote on Wednesday amid the formula shortage crisis in the country.
The nine lawmakers who voted against the bill were all Republicans. They are: Reps. Matt Gaetz (Florida), Louie Gohmert (Texas), Paul Gosar (Arizona), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia), Andy Biggs (Arizona), Lauren Boebert (Colorado), Clay Higgins (Louisiana), Thomas Massie (Kentucky) and Chip Roy (Texas).
The baby formula legislation come as parents across the country are struggling to purchase formula for their children, leaving the Biden administration scrambling to restock shelves and prevent the scarcity from worsening.
The U.S. has been grappling with the instant baby formula shortage since at least the week beginning April 24, when the out-of-stock percentage of the merchandise reached 40 percent, according due to a nationwide recall.
