Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Sunday that the Biden administration is not to blame for baby formula shortages experienced by American families nationwide.
“This is a capitalist country. The government does not make baby formula, nor should it,” Mr. Buttigieg said on CBS’ ‘Face the Nation.’ “Companies make formula. And one of those companies, a company which by the way seems to have 40% market share, messed up and is unable to confirm that a plant, a major plant, is safe and free of contamination.”
The company referenced by Mr. Buttigieg was Abbott, and the Food and Drug Administration recommended against using baby formula made at a Michigan facility earlier this year.
Mr. Buttigieg indicated that the baby formula availability issue was personal to him as he has two nine-month-old children.
He said he has scoured stores and the internet for baby formula and talked to relatives living elsewhere to see if they would send him some. He said his family met his baby formula needs thus far.
After asking him about his personal baby formula issues and how to address domestic terrorism, CBS’ Margaret Brennan then asked the head of the Department of Transportation about whether Americans should drive less given the soaring price of gas witnessed on his watch.
“Gas prices — highest-ever price in the country, [$4.45] a gallon national average. Are you asking Americans to drive less?” Ms. Brennan said.
“No, what we’re asking Americans to do is to obviously recognize that we’re working this issue because we’re feeling it too,” Mr. Buttigieg said.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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