Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - Continuing the Work, Together, & 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 - Continuing the Work, Together, & More

2/20/2026

Weekly Wire: February 20, 2026

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
- In Honor of Black History Month: Continuing the Work, Together
- USBC Submits Comment to CDC on mPINC Survey
- Welcoming New USBC Member Organizations: Mothers' Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes and the National Indian Health Board
State & Community News
- Hawai'i Bill Introduced to Strengthen Lactation Protections for Students
- Kentucky Bill Introduced to Exempt Breast Pumps from Sales Tax
- Vermont Bill Introduced to Expand Lactation Support Through Insurance Coverage and Hospital Policies
Upcoming Events
News & Views
Journal Publications

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

USBC Updates

In Honor of Black History Month: Continuing the Work, Together

As we recognize Black History Month, we honor the generations of Black leaders, advocates, and community members whose work has strengthened maternal and infant health and advanced equity in breastfeeding and lactation support. Black families and Black-led organizations have long led efforts to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding, often in the face of policies, systems, and practices that have systematically undermined access to care, resources, and support. This leadership has not only filled gaps left by inequitable systems, but it has also defined what effective, community-rooted solutions look like. At the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee, our role is to listen to this leadership, amplify it, and translate it into policy change.

We work alongside our members and partners to advance policies and systems that respond to the realities faced by families who have been historically marginalized, and to dismantle structural barriers that continue to shape inequitable outcomes. Through our ongoing coalition-building, policy advocacy, and education efforts, we are working to strengthen access to culturally responsive lactation support. This includes advocating for strong workplace protections, equitable paid family and medical leave, sustained investment in community-based and public health programs, and policies that center lived experience and community expertise.

We invite you to make a contribution to help sustain the USBC’s ability to strengthen national coalitions, elevate community-informed policy solutions, and advance systems rooted in dignity, access, and justice. Together, with your partnership, we can continue building toward our vision of thriving families and communities.

USBC Submits Comment to CDC on mPINC Survey

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee submitted a comment to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in response to the public comment opportunity on the required federal review of the Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) survey. The mPINC survey is a key tool for tracking how maternity care practices support breastfeeding. The USBC comment affirms the utility of the survey as a vital component of monitoring breastfeeding-related practices and as essential public health infrastructure for advancing maternal and infant health outcomes nationwide.

Welcoming New USBC Member Organizations: Mothers' Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes and the National Indian Health Board

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is thrilled to welcome 18 organizations to the USBC member network as of January 2026! Through the coming weeks, each edition of the Weekly Wire newsletter will be highlighting two of the new member organizations, presented in alphabetical order. Access the archive to review past editions. The USBC warmly welcomes all new and returning member organizations to our table! This week, we are highlighting Mothers' Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes and the National Indian Health Board.

Mothers' Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes (Milk Bank WGL) saves tiny lives by collecting, pasteurizing, and dispensing donor human milk. They provide pasteurized donor human milk to premature and critically ill babies, distribute donor milk to outpatients, and support donor families, including those who donate after loss. As the region’s only nonprofit milk bank, Milk Bank WGL serves over 90 hospitals and thousands of families throughout Wisconsin and Illinois.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) stands as the united voice of federally recognized Tribes, dedicated to advancing health and well-being in Indian Country. Since 1972, NIHB has provided critical advocacy, policy analysis, and education to support Tribal sovereignty and strengthen Tribal health systems. By embedding cultural integrity into every aspect of their advocacy, NIHB works to empower communities to heal, grow, and thrive.

State & Community News

Hawai'i Bill Introduced to Strengthen Lactation Protections for Students

A group of Hawai’i Senators introduced SB3024. The bill would prohibit discrimination against students based on pregnancy or related conditions, including lactation, and require covered educational entities to provide private, clean, non-bathroom lactation spaces for students. Students would not be required to submit documentation to access lactation spaces unless documentation is required of other students for similar accommodations.

Kentucky Bill Introduced to Exempt Breast Pumps from Sales Tax

Kentucky Representatives Brown, Chester-Burton, and Gentry introduced HB114. The bill would authorize a sales tax exemption for electric and manual breast pumps as well as collection and storage supplies, in addition to other items used to initiate, support, or sustain breastfeeding using a breast pump.

Vermont Bill Introduced to Expand Lactation Support Through Insurance Coverage and Hospital Policies

Vermont Representative Bartley introduced H691. The bill would require health insurance plans to cover breastfeeding education, support, counseling, and equipment for the duration of breastfeeding without cost-sharing requirements. The bill would also require hospitals with perinatal units to adopt infant-feeding policies that promote breastfeeding, utilizing guidance from the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.