Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Confronts FDA Commissioner On Agency’s Failures To Address Youth Vaping Epidemic And Toxic Heavy Metals In Baby Food

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi questions FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf regarding his agency’s failure to swiftly address the youth vaping epidemic or reduce the dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals in baby food. [Click the image above to view their full exchange]

WASHINGTON – During today’s hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi confronted United States Commissioner of Food and Drugs Dr. Robert M. Califf regarding the apparent lack of urgency shown by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in combatting the youth vaping epidemic, which is increasingly fueled by illegal imported vapes, and in addressing the dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals in baby food.

Even though the FDA has not authorized flavored vaping products for legal sale in the United States, the market has been flooded with tens of millions of flavored vapes in just the last few months, the majority of which have been imported from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Despite repeated calls for action to address these dangerous imports as well as repeated requests for information on FDA enforcement activities, the FDA remains unresponsive, and Commissioner Califf was unable to address Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s concerns or provide any updates on how his agency would end the deluge of illegal vapes on the market. Co-founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Caucus to End the Youth Vaping Epidemic since its inception in 2019, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has championed national efforts to end the youth vaping epidemic, launching the first Congressional investigation into how e-cigarette makers deliberately targeted children and spearheading the successful bipartisan effort to crack down on synthetic nicotine.

Commissioner Califf was similarly unable to provide any answers on the FDA’s failure to establish meaningful standards for baby food safety, follow its own timeline for implementing such standards, or provide Congress with any explanation for these delays, which put American children at risk of severely impaired neurological development. In 2021, Congressman Krishnamoorthi released a report based on his investigation into leading baby foods as Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy that revealed that baby foods on the market had lead levels up to 177 times the levels allowable in drinking water. One month later, the FDA announced it would regulate toxic heavy metals in baby food for the first time under a program called Closer to Zero. However, over the last three years, the FDA has repeatedly missed its own deadlines for updated guidance and regulations despite regular inquiries from Congressman Krishnamoorthi and the real-life consequences of inaction, including the recent recall of popular brands of cinnamon applesauce pouches due to reports of lead poisoning. The lack of urgency and continual lack of updates are endangering the lives and wellbeing of our children. It’s critical that the FDA provides updates to the Closer to Zero program as soon as possible to impose regulations on dangerous and toxic heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury found in our baby food.