New bill introduced in Senate to reduce harmful toxins found in baby food

WASHINGTON (7News) — Some U.S. lawmakers are trying to force baby food manufacturers to reduce toxic heavy metals in their products.

Senator Amy Klobuchar introduced a bill called the "Baby Food Safety Act” that could increase regulation and enforcement by the FDA. This isn't the first time federal lawmakers have pushed a bill like this.

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Klobuchar first introduced a version of the Baby Food Safety Act in 2021. There have been a few go-arounds, but it's never reached critical mass.

This is happening because numerous investigations --- including a bombshell Congressional report three years ago --- found excessive levels of lead and other toxic heavy metals in multiple brands of baby food. These neurotoxins can cause developmental problems in babies and irreversible damage to their brains.

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Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi led that 2021 Congressional inquiry and is the sponsor of the companion Baby Food Safety Act in the House. He introduced it in December 2023.

7News Senior Investigative Reporter Lisa Fletcher sat down with Krishnamoorthi to talk about how even in the face of all the evidence uncovered, they haven't been able to get bi-partisan support for a bill to make baby food safe.

Fletcher: “Shouldn't governing the safety of baby food just be a no-brainer for members of Congress at this point?”

Krishnamoorthi: “It should be, but what I found in my eighth year now in Congress, fourth term, is that essentially, we pay lip service to protecting our children. We have to be really tough with the industry, whether it's baby foods or whether it's baby seats, you can't count on the industry to look out for our children. We have to be the ones that do that.”

It remains to be seen whether a majority of the members of Congress agree with that. The issue seems to split along party lines.