Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - Action Opportunities to Protect Breastfeeding Funding, Programs, and Research & 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 - Action Opportunities to Protect Breastfeeding Funding, Programs, and Research & more

5/16/2025

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Quick Action to Protect Breastfeeding Funding
- USBC Breastfeeding Policy Map Features Proposed Bills and Regulations Related to Infant Feeding
National News
- MomsRising Organizational Sign-On Opportunity to Protect Breastfeeding Programs & Research
- New Infographic for Patients: What to Expect at a Baby-Friendly Hospital
- Press Release on 2025 Latine Breastfeeding Week: Save the (NEW) Date!
- More Paid Leave for More Americans Act Introduced in House
- May is NEC Awareness Month: Social Media Toolkit
- CAP Report on Women in the Workforce
State & Community News
- May is Officially Designated as California Human Milk Donation Month
Action Opportunities
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

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

USBC Updates

Quick Action to Protect Breastfeeding Funding

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is mobilizing the field to urge lawmakers to increase funding for breastfeeding support in the federal budget. With our quick, easy action tool, you can help us reach every Senator and Representative and urge them to do their part to ensure every family gets the support they need to give their babies the healthiest start in life. We are also preparing to deliver a letter signed by over 100 organizations to committee members that explains why this funding is so important. If you are involved with an organization or business and want to show your support, there is still time to join our organizational sign-on letter, which will continue to be delivered at key moments throughout the appropriations process!

USBC Breastfeeding Policy Map Features Proposed Bills and Regulations Related to Infant Feeding

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee hosts the Breastfeeding Policy Map, a resource to help the lactation field monitor federal and state policy proposals — bills and regulations that have been introduced this session but not yet passed. Updated regularly to reflect proposals with the potential to impact infant feeding and/or the lactation field, the map is a great way to keep tabs on the policy efforts happening in your state. The policies included on the map are curated from government sources, allowing the lactation field to quickly and proactively scan the policy landscape to stay informed about policy opportunities, challenges, and emerging trends. Simply select a state or issue area to view relevant bills and regulations, including bill status, most recent action, and a link to the full text.

National News

MomsRising Organizational Sign-On Opportunity to Protect Breastfeeding Programs & Research

MomsRising is coordinating an organizational sign-on letter opportunity regarding the fiscal year 2026 Federal Budget Proposal, which eliminates funding for the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The NCCDPHP houses the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO), a primary source of breastfeeding programs, research, and surveillance. The letter calls on Congress to protect and fully fund DNPAO and NCCDPHP programming that provides communities with the tools they need to thrive and help prevent chronic diseases before they begin. Deadline to sign is Thursday, May 22.

New Infographic for Patients: What to Expect at a Baby-Friendly Hospital

Baby-Friendly USA released "What to Expect at a Baby-Friendly Hospital," a one-page infographic summarizing what patients can expect at a Baby-Friendly hospital. This is a useful tool that can be distributed to provide anticipatory guidance to help patients understand what to expect in their delivery and postpartum experience.

Press Release on 2025 Latine Breastfeeding Week: Save the (NEW) Date!

The Latinx/Latine Lactation Collective issued a bilingual press release announcing that Latine Breastfeeding Week dates are changing. The observance's new permanent dates are September 8 through September 14. Save the date! The collective announced that planning for this year’s celebrations is underway, and a theme announcement will be coming soon.

More Paid Leave for More Americans Act Introduced in House

Representative Bice (OK-05) introduced the More Paid Leave for More Americans Act (H.R.3089). The bill would provide pathways for states to increase access to paid leave, exchange data, and support efforts to streamline best practices to meet the needs of both employees and employers. It would offer incentives for the development of paid family leave programs through public-private partnerships and establish minimum standards for participating programs. The bill would also create an Interstate Paid Leave Action Network (I-PLAN) to facilitate data exchange and collaboration across states. Rather than mandating a one-size-fits-all federal program, the bill would seek to improve the efficiency of existing paid family and medical leave programs, support the establishment of new programs, and promote greater uniformity nationwide. Read the press release. Highlights from the field include:

Bipartisan Policy Center: "What's in the Bills: The More Paid Leave for More Americans Act and Interstate Paid Leave Action Network Act"
HR Dive: "National family leave bill gets fresh face, bipartisan support"

May is NEC Awareness Month: Social Media Toolkit

May is Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) Awareness Month, and this Saturday, May 17, is NEC Awareness Day. NEC is a devastating intestinal disease and is the leading cause of death for premature infants. The NEC Society developed a social media toolkit that includes ready-to-share graphics, videos, and messaging organizations can use to help raise awareness on NEC Awareness Month and Day. The materials emphasize that donor milk saves lives as human milk plays a critical role in protecting vulnerable premature infants against NEC.

CAP Report on Women in the Workforce

The Center for American Progress (CAP) released a new report, "Breadwinning Women Are a Lifeline for Their Families and the Economy." This report details CAP's analysis using the latest available U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement data, which shows that large shares of working women continue to be breadwinners for their families. The report suggests that policies, including guaranteed paid family and medical leave, need to support working women to uplift families and the economy.

State & Community News

May is Officially Designated as California Human Milk Donation Month

The Mothers Milk Bank of California and Senator Cortese announced State Resolution 20 to mark the official designation of May as the first-ever California Human Milk Donation Month. This designation was created to underscore the critical role of donor human milk in improving infant health outcomes and highlight the urgent need for increased access to this life-saving resource. Read the Mothers Milk Bank of California's press release and report, "The State of Human Milk Banking in California." This report provides critical insights into milk donation trends and statistics, the growing demand for pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM), and the evolving landscape of infant nutrition in California.