Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - A Preview of the USBC Conference Opening Session, & 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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Please note: Inclusion of an item in this e-newsletter does NOT imply endorsement or support of such item by the United States Breastfeeding Committee, unless specifically noted.

The WW goes on hiatus several times a year: the weeks of the Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year's holidays, the weeks before the Presidents Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day holidays, and the weeks of the USBC membership meetings.

Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - A Preview of the USBC Conference Opening Session, & More

4/17/2026

Weekly Wire: April 17, 2025

The Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire e-Newsletter is a compendium of news, actions, and resources considered to be of interest or relevance to the breastfeeding field. The newsletter aims to support the USBC mission "To drive collaborative efforts for policy and practices that create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States." Included items are submitted for consideration or identified by the USBC e-news team via extensive online review. Whenever possible, the newsletter utilizes language directly from the primary source of an item without additional analysis or edits. In some cases, the USBC offers additional perspectives through the "USBC Insights," media and partner highlights, and the "News & Views" section. Inclusion of an item in the e-newsletter does not imply endorsement or support by the USBC of an item or organization, unless specifically noted.

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Building on Legacy, Designing for Justice: A Preview of the USBC Conference Opening Session
National News
- New CDC Data: Public Opinions About Breastfeeding
- Perinatal Workforce Act Introduced in Senate and House
State & Community News
- NY Bill Introduced to Provide Lactation Protections for Students
Action Opportunities
Funding Opportunities
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

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

USBC Updates

Building on Legacy, Designing for Justice: A Preview of the USBC Conference Opening Session

This year's USBC Conference, the Rooted in Legacy, Growing Toward Justice National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening (NBCC), is just around the corner! We are thrilled to open this year's NBCC with an incredible plenary session, Building on Legacy, Designing for Justice: Introducing a National Plan for Infant Nutritional Security. As the field reflects on its breastfeeding legacy and looks toward a more just future, this plenary session introduces a national plan developed through community engagement coordinated by the USBC—designed to strengthen breastfeeding and infant nutrition security through structural change. The session will explore why individual-level interventions alone cannot produce equitable outcomes and how policies, systems, and environments shape infant feeding possibilities for families and communities.

Experience this session and many other powerful presentations at this year's NBCC on the conference agenda. Registration is open, and hotel rooms are still available, so reserve your seat today!

National News

New CDC Data: Public Opinions About Breastfeeding

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new 2024 data on the "Public Opinions About Breastfeeding" webpage. The data is from the SummerStyle survey, which reports results on public opinions about breastfeeding, including opinions on the importance of breastfeeding, paid maternity leave, and workplace accommodations for breastfeeding workers. The CDC also has a recent publication in the Public Health Reports Journal, "High and Increased Positive Public Opinions About Supports for Breastfeeding, United States, 2015-2024," spotlighting findings from this new data.

Perinatal Workforce Act Introduced in Senate and House

Senator Baldwin (WI) and Representative Moore (WI-4) introduced the Perinatal Workforce Act (S.4186/H.R.8089). The bill would establish grant programs to grow and diversify the perinatal workforce, including lactation consultants certified by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. The bill would provide funding to establish or expand education programs for midwives, physician assistants, perinatal health workers (defined to include lactation educators and counselors), and advanced practice nurses focused on maternal and perinatal health, with priority given to programs recruiting students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds and those planning to practice in underserved areas.

State & Community News

NY Bill Introduced to Provide Lactation Protections for Students

New York Assemblymember Forrest introduced A06606. The bill would require institutions of higher learning to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant and parenting students, including breaks during class to express breast milk or breastfeed.

Action Opportunities

CARE: "Maternal and Child Health Emergency Preparedness Survey for MCH Professionals & Non-Profit Organizations." Survey deadline: n/a.

Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor: "Employee or Independent Contractor Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act." Public comments deadline: Tuesday, April 28.

USBC Insight: This comment opportunity concerns a proposed revision to the Department of Labor’s regulations regarding how workers are classified as either employees or independent contractors. Because the PUMP Act applies only to employees, and not to independent contractors, narrowing the scope of who is covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act could mean that fewer workers are eligible for lactation break time and private pumping space in the first year following a child's birth. Public comments underscoring how worker classification shapes access to lactation protections can help ensure these implications are fully considered in the rulemaking process.