Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - BABES Enhancement Act Passes House, Take Action to Advance Lactation Infrastructure at the VA, & More

Weekly Wire: November 21, 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
  • Action Alert: Call On Your Representative to Advance Lactation Infrastructure at the VA
  • New USBC Merchandise: Shop the USBC Store This Giving Season
  • NBCC Call for Plenary Proposals Open Through December
  • USBC Office Closure & Weekly Wire Hiatus
• National News
  • Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act Passes House
  • 2025 March of Dimes Report Card Highlights Policies Affecting Maternal and Infant Health
• Action Opportunities
• Funding Opportunities
• Upcoming Events
• News & Views

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

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USBC Updates

Action Alert: Call On Your Representative to Advance Lactation Infrastructure at the VA

The Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act (S.778/ H.R.1646) has passed the Senate and is now awaiting action in the House. This bipartisan bill would require VA medical centers to provide dedicated lactation spaces for use by women veterans and members of the public. This inclusive provision matters. VA facilities serve multigenerational families, caregivers supporting aging veterans, and a large civilian workforce. Ensuring access to lactation spaces in VA medical centers eliminates avoidable barriers in a federal healthcare setting. Please take a moment today to urge your Representative to support swift passage of the Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act.

New USBC Merchandise: Shop the USBC Store This Giving Season

Just in time for the season of giving, new U.S. Breastfeeding Committee merchandise is live! Wear your support proudly and help expand access to breastfeeding and human milk feeding support everywhere. Shop the latest collections at the USBC store today!

NBCC Call for Plenary Proposals Open Through December

The countdown to the USBC’s National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening has begun! We are thrilled to gather with changemakers from across the First Food field in Bethesda, Maryland, from June 3-5, 2026. Registration is now open and Early Bird pricing will be available until December 31! 

We are also seeking dynamic, visionary speakers to lead plenary sessions at the 2026 NBCC. This year's conference centers on reflection, revitalization, and renewal, exploring how our collective history informs current strategies and inspires future action in organizational capacity building, collective impact-based systems change, and community-rooted advocacy. Submit your proposal by Wednesday, December 31, to share your vision with the USBC conference planning team. Let’s build momentum, encourage dialogue, and create a lasting impact together!

USBC Office Closure & Weekly Wire Hiatus

The Weekly Wire will be on hiatus next week and the USBC office will be closed on Thursday, November 28, and Friday, November 29, in observance of Native American Heritage Day and the Thanksgiving holiday. We look forward to connecting when we return!

At the USBC, we honor the land and Indigenous communities whose traditions and stewardship have shaped the landscapes we now inhabit. We reaffirm our commitment to standing in solidarity with Indigenous peoples in reclaiming birthing, breastfeeding, and human milk feeding traditions intentionally disrupted by colonization and systemic oppression. Access the USBC Native American Heritage Month webpage to connect with Indigenous led and serving coalitions and organizations and access learning opportunities, tools, and resources.

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National News

Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act Passes House

The Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act (S.260) was passed by the House. In 2016, the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Act was signed into law, requiring hygienic handling of breast milk and baby formula by security screening personnel of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The BABES Enhancement Act would build on the BABES Act by directing the TSA to issue guidance to ensure the hygienic handling of breast milk. Now that the bill has passed out of both chambers of Congress, it will next be sent to the President to be signed into law. Read the press release.

2025 March of Dimes Report Card Highlights Policies Affecting Maternal and Infant Health

March of Dimes released the "2025 March of Dimes Report Card." The 2025 March of Dimes Report Card highlights the many factors contributing to maternal and infant mortality and morbidity across the US, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. For the fourth consecutive year, the United States earned a D+ grade for preterm birth, marking the longest stretch of the lowest grade in Report Card history. The report also highlights policies and programs critical to improving and sustaining maternal and infant health including Medicaid extension, doula reimbursement, and paid family leave.

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Action Opportunities

 California Breastfeeding Coalition: "LATCH Line Community Needs Assessment Survey"

 National Association of County and City Health Officials: "Tell Your Federal Representatives to Pass FY2026 Funding for Federal Health Agencies"

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Funding Opportunities

 New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force: "2025 NMBTF Pathway to IBCLC Scholarship Application -- Becas para el Camino al IBCLC de 2025 de NMBTF." Application deadline: Friday, December 5.

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Upcoming Events

On-Demand:

•  Michigan Breastfeeding Network - Great Lakes Breastfeeding Webinars: "Educating Dads, Partners, and Family Members on Breastfeeding Support During the Prenatal and Postpartum Period"

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News & Views

A Better Balance:

• "Model Paid Parental Leave Policy for Local School District Employees"
• "Summary of Southern Paid Parental Leave Policies for K-12 Employees"

CBS News: "'Womb Bus' connects expecting moms in the Bronx to doulas, maternal health care resources"

 Center for Health Equity, Education, & Research: "CHEER 2024 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: CAROL MACGOWAN, MPH, RDN!"

FOX 35 Orlando: "Mother’s Milk Bank of Florida helping state's most fragile newborns"

News Center Maine: "MaineHealth offers relief for new mothers with South Portland donor breastmilk dispensary"

TecScience: "Early Nutrition and Breastfeeding: Key Strategies to Reduce Disease and Inequality"

UNICEF Jamaica: "Joint Position On Breastfeeding And Donation Of Breast Milk Substitutes (BMS) In Emergencies"

ZERO TO THREE: "Government Reopening: Babies and Families Emerge Rattled by Cuts and Chaos"

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U.S. Breastfeeding Committee
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(773) 359-1549 | [email protected] 

 

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