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By Dan Donahue, NBC Nightly News

Good Thursday afternoon. The FDA chief was grilled by on Capitol Hill today on the baby formula shortage, the Buffalo shooting suspect was called a “coward” in a courtroom outburst, and the CDC is expected to greenlight Covid booster shots for children 5 to 11.

Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown.

FDA chief says baby formula shortage should ease “within days”

The head of the FDA, facing bipartisan anger on Capitol Hill today, said the nationwide baby formula shortage should begin to ease “within days,” but added that it will “a few weeks” for the supply is back to normal.

“It will gradually get better,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf told a House appropriations subcommittee. “Within days it will get better. But it will be a few weeks before we’re back to normal.”

Califf also came under fire for the FDA’s handing of complaints about a Abbott Nutrition plant in Michigan, a major supplier of baby formula.

The plant was shut down in February, several months after a whistleblower report, and Abbott voluntarily recalled products following reports of bacterial infections in four infants, and two deaths. Abbott said there is no evidence linking its formulas to the illnesses.

“We had to wrestle this to ground with Abbott,” Califf told the lawmakers. “I think we are on track to get it open within the next week to two weeks.”

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to direct private companies to produce more formula, and announced “Operation Fly Formula,” a directive authorizing the military to import formula using commercial planes.

“You’re a coward”: Buffalo mass shooting suspect indicted

The 18-year-old accused of killing 10 people in a racist rampage at a Buffalo supermarket was called a “coward” by a courtroom spectator during a brief hearing today.

“You’re a coward,” a man shouted, as the suspect was led away from the courtroom in shackles. It’s not clear who made the outburst.

Families of the victims were in the court today, coming face-to-face with the alleged gunman for the first time.

The suspect has been indicted by a grand jury on a first-degree murder charge that covers all 10 deaths, assistant district attorney Gary Hackbush told the Associated Press.

A plea of not guilty was entered on the suspect’s behalf during his initial court appearance. He is being held without bail.

Buffalo shooting suspect indicted by grand jury, more charges expected

Buffalo shooting suspect indicted by grand jury, more charges expected

CDC panel to vote on boosters for children 5 to 11

A panel of CDC advisors is expected to vote today on expanding authorization for Covid booster shots to children ages 5 to 11.

The meeting comes after the FDA authorized booster doses of Pfizer’s vaccine for that age group earlier this week.

If the CDC panel gives the greenlight, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky is expected to issue a final recommendation soon after. Shots could begin going into arms as early as tomorrow.

But many children in that 5 to 11 age group — more than two-thirds — have yet to receive the two primary doses of the vaccine, according to CDC data.

Daily Covid cases in the U.S. have tripled in the last month, and a third of Americans now live in high risk areas where masks are recommended indoors, the CDC said on Wednesday.

Senate approves $40 billion in aid for Ukraine

The Senate passed a $40 billion military and humanitarian aid package today for Ukraine in a 88-to-11 vote.

All the “no” votes came from Republicans, including Sen. Rand Paul, who delayed the vote a week over a dispute about spending oversight.

The bill now heads to President Biden for his signature. Biden, before leaving on a five-day trip to Asia, welcomed the leaders of Sweden and Finland to the White House today after the two countries officially applied to join NATO.

Biden called it a “momentous day” and offered Sweden and Finland “the strong support” of the U.S. as they seek to join the western security alliance.

In a Ukraine court today, a Russian soldier who pleaded guilty in the first war crimes trial since the war began pleaded for his victim’s widow to forgive him.

What else we’re watching:

Oklahoma lawmakers today approved the most restrictive abortion ban in the nation. 21 million are at risk for severe weather across parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley and Lower Ohio Valley. The U.S. has identified its first monkeypox case this year in Massachusetts, in a man who recently traveled to Canada.

Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app.

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