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WASHINGTON, DC - Joined by a group of breastfeeding mothers and breastfeeding professionals, Congresswoman Maloney hosted a “nurse-in” on Capitol Hill and reintroduced the Breastfeeding Promotion Act with 14 bipartisan original cosponsors. The Breastfeeding Promotion Act will give more rights to nursing mothers and promote healthy families.
The Breastfeeding Promotion Act serves to promote breastfeeding which has been shown to have health benefits for both the mother and child. The legislation covers four purposes:(1) to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect breastfeeding by new mothers,(2) to provide tax incentives for businesses that establish private lactation areas in the workplace, (3) to provide for a performance standard for breast pumps, and (4) to allow breastfeeding equipment to be tax deductible for families. The purposes of this act are to promote the health and well-being of infants whose mothers return to the workplace after childbirth, and to clarify that breastfeeding and expressing breast milk in the workplace are protected conduct under the amendment made by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978.
“We want to send a clear message that breastfeeding is natural and has a clear health benefit for both the mother and child,” said Maloney. “We want to make sure that any woman who decides to breastfeed will get all the support she needs. The United States has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the industrialized world and one of the highest rates of infant mortality - we need to reverse that.”
Maloney continued: “Breastfeeding not only makes healthier children, it's beneficial for businesses. Employers who support employee lactation programs help to reduce worker absenteeism and staff turnover, increasing retention of skilled workers. One way employers can make the workplace a better place is by supporting working women that breastfeed. Employers should not stand in the way of a woman doing the most natural thing on earth - breastfeeding her child.”
“The Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2005 is a win-win for employers and for new moms. It protects women’s rights to do what’s best for their babies’ health, and it gives employers incentives to create a mother-friendly work environment.” Barbara Moran, PH.D, CNM Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses Board Member.
“Supporting breastfeeding employees is a win for everyone,” said Dr. Audrey Naylor, chair of the United States Breastfeeding Committee. “Employers can experience lower health claims, absenteeism rates, and turnover rates, which can save a company thousands of dollars each year. Breastfeeding mothers are more likely to be productive and loyal to the company when they are provided onsite lactation support. And, most importantly, babies who continue breastfeeding after their moms return to work are healthier.”
Original co-sponsors of bill (15): Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Christopher Shays (R-CT), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Robert Wexler (D-FL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brad Miller (D-NC), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI), Major Owens (D-NY), Joseph Crowley (D-NY).
BACKGROUND:
Congresswoman Maloney first passed breastfeeding legislation in the 106th Congress when her right to breastfeed amendment was passed as part of the FY 2000 budget, ensuring a woman's right to breastfeed her child on any portion of Federal property where the woman and her child are otherwise authorized to be. In the 105th Congress, Rep. Maloney was able to include in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) reauthorization bill - a measure that allows state agencies to use the WIC food program funds to provide educational materials on breastfeeding and allows state agencies to use additional WIC funds to purchase breast pumps.
CRS Report on State Laws and Breastfeeding:
http://maloney.house.gov/documents/olddocs/breastfeeding/050505CRSReport.pdf
View Fact Sheet on The Breastfeeding Promotion Act:
http://maloney.house.gov/documents/olddocs/breastfeeding/050505summary.rtf
CRS Report on health benefits of breastfeeding:
http://maloney.house.gov/documents/olddocs/breastfeeding/CRS_Report_on_Benefits_of_Breastfeeding.pdf
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