Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - 2025 National Breastfeeding Month Proclamation Toolkit & more

The USBC e-Newsletter, Staying Abreast, is published in a weekly news brief format, called the Weekly Wire (WW). Past issues are archived below.

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Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - 2025 National Breastfeeding Month Proclamation Toolkit & more

6/27/2025

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- 2025 National Breastfeeding Month Proclamation Toolkit
- Nourish Noir Issue Features Interview with USBC Executive Director Jennifer Day
- Agenda Released for Forward Together: Meeting the Moment Virtual Summit
- Weekly Wire Hiatus & USBC Office Closure for Summer Break
National News
- 2025 CDC Early Childhood Nutrition Report
- Save the Date: Workplace Lactation Week
- Updated FEMA Guide Acknowledges Infants and Children in Emergency Planning
- Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act Introduced
Action Opportunies
Funding Opportunities
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

denotes a USBC member organization news item denotes a USBC-affiliated constellation news item

USBC Updates

2025 National Breastfeeding Month Proclamation Toolkit

In preparation for National Breastfeeding Month (NBM), the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee released the 2025 NBM Proclamation Toolkit, a package of resources designed to ease the process of submitting a request to your state or territory's governor to proclaim August as Breastfeeding Month. The toolkit includes a spreadsheet with links and information on submitting a request in each state and territory, as well as templates for both long and abbreviated proclamations that can be customized for your submission. The toolkit can also be utilized for proclamation requests in cities and municipalities, but please note that you will need to identify the method and criteria for submitting a request in your district.

Nourish Noir Issue Features Interview with USBC Executive Director Jennifer Day

Nourish Noir, a digital magazine by Nourish & Thrive created to center, uplift, and inform Black lactation, published its very first issue. The issue includes real conversations and expert insights on breastfeeding, and features an exclusive interview with USBC Executive Director Jennifer Day on the power of policy and the fight for breastfeeding equity.

Agenda Released for Forward Together: Meeting the Moment Virtual Summit

The United States Breastfeeding Committee, in collaboration with Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) and the American Public Health Association (APHA) Breastfeeding Forum, is hosting a Virtual Summit, Forward Together: Meeting the Moment on Thursday, July 31, from 12 p.m. ET to 5:30 p.m. ET. You can now download and explore the Summit Agenda. We look forward to seeing you on July 31!

Weekly Wire Hiatus & USBC Office Closure for Summer Break

The Weekly Wire newsletter will be on hiatus next week, and the USBC office will be closed for Summer Break from Friday, June 27, through Friday, July 4. We wish you and your loved ones a happy start to the summer and look forward to connecting when we return!

National News

2025 CDC Early Childhood Nutrition Report

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) released a National Summary as well as State Reports for the "Early Childhood Nutrition Report, 2025." This report contains data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia on nutrition-related behaviors, practices, and policies that can impact the health and development of children 5 years of age and younger, including breastfeeding and supports for infant feeding. This report is the first of its kind from the CDC, showcasing data on several early child nutrition topics to provide a more complete picture of the state of early childhood nutrition at the state level. These reports can be utilized to identify gaps and areas for improvement, as well as opportunities to establish policies and activities that support healthy nutrition in early childhood.

Save the Date: Workplace Lactation Week

Healthy Horizons announced that the theme for 2025 Workplace Lactation Week is A World of Support: Creating Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplaces Everywhere. This theme emphasizes support in any work environment a parent occupies, meeting them where they are—whether they work in an office, a factory, remotely, in the field, or are traveling abroad. Workplace Lactation Week will take place during National Breastfeeding Month, falling on September 1 through September 7.

Updated FEMA Guide Acknowledges Infants and Children in Emergency Planning

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released the "Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101, Version 3.1," a key planning resource for emergency managers. The updated guide now explicitly includes infants in its scope of support and supplies, as well as in its categorization of individuals with unique needs, marking a notable shift for emergency planning and response. The guide also reflects broader progress by naming children throughout the text, reinforcing the importance of their inclusion in preparedness frameworks. The document does not include specific reference to infant feeding or nutrition.

USBC Insight: The USBC has previously urged FEMA to recognize infant feeding as a critical need during emergencies and to expand definitions of medical supplies to include lactation and infant feeding items. This update signals growing recognition of infants and children in federal emergency policy. At the same time, significant gaps remain, and continued advocacy is essential to ensure infant feeding is fully addressed in emergency planning and response.

Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act Introduced

Senator Rosen (D-NV), Senator Murkowski (R-AK), and Representative Underwood (IL-14) introduced the Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act (S.778/ H.R.1646). The bill would ensure all medical centers managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs contain a hygienic, private space specifically dedicated for nursing veterans, VA employees, and their partners.

Action Opportunities

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations." Comments deadline: Friday, August 15.

USBC Insight: This comment opportunity centers on CDC’s mPINC survey, a key tool for tracking how maternity care practices support breastfeeding. Submitting comments can help ensure the survey reflects the full scope of infant feeding experiences, identifies gaps in lactation support, and continues to inform improvements in hospital care. Highlighting the utility of this dataset helps reinforce its role in guiding quality improvement across health systems. A robust public response signals to CDC that monitoring breastfeeding-related practices remains a vital component of public health infrastructure and warrants continued investment.

National Partnership for Women & Families: "Sign On in Support of the FAMILY Act - 119th Congress." Sign-on deadline: Friday, July 11.