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To the Editor:

HB 7790 was put forward to have the U.S. taxpayers fund an additional $28 million to the Food and Drug Administration, as stated on the face of the bill, “For an additional amount for “Salaries and Expenses,” and no other specific purpose.

Along with Bob Good, both Reps. Cline and Griffith also voted against this bill. Ben Cline went so far as to let the public know that the FDA “knew last year that a formula shortage was likely and then sat idly by while shortages increased. It failed to act with appropriate urgency to safely reopen Abbott’s Michigan plant. The $28 million would not purchase infant formula but pay for FDA salaries, etc., and did not include measures for improved accountability.”

In its one-paragraph text, the bill states, generally, that it will be used to make “emergency supplemental appropriations to address the shortage of infant formula in the United States for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes.” It may interest Ms. Berry (“Shame on Good for vote against baby formula bill,” Wednesday, May 25) to know that our Virginia representatives who voted “no” on HB 7790 have either supported or proposed other bills with specifics to help those in need of baby formula.

Taxpayers are right to expect elected representatives to take issue with bills that are general in nature giving additional spending power to lawmakers and their bureaucrats who otherwise practice little or no personal responsibility or concern in either asking for or spending our money.

Peter Kapuscinski

Dillwyn