'Operation Fly Formula': White House launches website to address nation's formula shortage

President Joe Biden has invoked the Defense Production Act to speed the production of infant formula and has authorized flights to import supplies from overseas.

He is facing mounting political pressure over a domestic shortage caused by the safety-related closure of the country's largest formula manufacturing plant. The Defense Production Act order requires suppliers of formula manufacturers to fulfill those orders before other customers.

Biden is also authorizing the Defense Department to use commercial aircraft to fly overseas formula supplies that meet federal standards to the U.S., in what the White House is calling "Operation Fly Formula."

The announcement comes after the Food and Drug Administration said the agency was streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S. Regulators also said on Monday that they’d reached a deal to allow Abbott Nutrition to restart its Sturgis, Michigan, plant, the nation’s largest formula plant, which has been closed since February due to contamination issues.

The company must overhaul its safety protocols and procedures before resuming production.

The White House has just launched awebsite to address the nation's infant formula shortage and track the administration's efforts to get more formulas to supermarkets.

It shows their progress in boosting supply since mid-may.

You'll also find a list of administration actions, including invoking the "defense production act" and other moves on imports.

The launch comes amid major questions about the administration's handling of the shortage.

President Biden said Wednesday he wasn't aware of the issue till April... Adding that the shortage will be an issue for several more weeks, despite the help from Europe.