Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - Public Comment Template on PWFA Regulations & 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 - Public Comment Template on PWFA Regulations & more

10/5/2023

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- Template Comments for PWFA Public Comment Opportunity: Deadline October 10
- Organizational Sign-On Letter Opportunity Calling on Congress to Pass the Access to Donor Milk Act: Deadline October 13
- Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies Webinar Hosted by USBC & NACCHO
- Blog Post on Breastfeeding Data and Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies
- USBC Supports...
National News
- 2023 WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence Recipients Announced
- 2023 State of Obesity Report
- Interactive Map and Best Practices Guide on Paid Leave Policies for State Employees
- 2023 State of Babies Yearbook
- Playbook on Winning Paid Family and Medical Leave
- BLS Data on Employer-Provided Paid Leave
- CARE for Moms Act Introduced
- Continuing Resolution Signed Into Law
- PREEMIE Act Advances in Senate
- Healthy People in States and Territories Webpage
- National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives Website
- NASEM Report on Complementary Feeding Interventions
State & Community News
- Lactation Accommodation Bill Introduced in Wisconsin
- CAP Self-Employed Workers Access to State Paid Leave Programs Issue Brief
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

Template Comments for PWFA Public Comment Opportunity: Deadline October 10

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released proposed regulations on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). Once finalized, these regulations will define how the law is enforced and will be as powerful as law. This is a critical moment for our collective advocacy to advance workplace protections for lactating workers, and the USBC urges individuals and organizations to respond to this public comment opportunity. The deadline to submit comments is Tuesday, October 10.

Organizations: WorkLife Law, A Better Balance, the National Partnership for Women and Families, the ACLU, Legal Aid at Work, and the National Women's Law Center carefully analyzed the 300+ page proposed regulations and developed template comments. The USBC-affiliated Workplace Support Constellation then held a conversation about how the template comments could further emphasize the needs of lactating workers, developing additional template comments specifically for the lactation field. The USBC comments bring these templates together, along with common challenges faced by employees and important public health considerations. Organizations are invited to copy and reuse any or all of this content. Please note that the first page should be adjusted to reflect your organization's name and mission.
Individuals: The USBC launched an action tool to help individuals submit comments on the proposed PWFA regulations with just a few clicks. Take action today to ensure that the final rules are strong, comprehensive, and inclusive so that all lactating workers have access to the accommodations they need.

Organizational Sign-On Letter Opportunity Calling on Congress to Pass the Access to Donor Milk Act: Deadline October 13

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee-affiliated Pasteurized Donor Human Milk Constellation released an organizational sign-on letter calling on Congress to pass the Access to Donor Milk Act. This important bipartisan legislation would strengthen the national infrastructure for pasteurized donor human milk banks and help protect infant nutrition security. To be included in the initial delivery of the letter, sign on by Friday, October 13. Additional signers will be added on an ongoing basis.

Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies Webinar Hosted by USBC & NACCHO

Join the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee and the National Association of County and City Health Officials on Wednesday, November 1, from 2-3:30 p.m. ET for the "Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies: Community Preparedness Systems to Keep Babies Safe" webinar. This session will provide an overview of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Toolkit, share current research exploring personal experiences and disaster-related factors that influence breastfeeding, and describe how NACCHO has supported communities in emergency preparedness for maternal and child populations.

Blog Post on Breastfeeding Data and Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies

The U.S. Breastfeeding published a blog post, "Using Data to Inform Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergency Preparedness Systems." The blog post examines recent breastfeeding data from the CDC National Immunization Survey-Child (NIS-Child) and sheds light on the ways the systems in our country can be better prepared and equipped to support families to safely feed their babies when a crisis occurs.

USBC Supports...

National WIC Association and National Collaborative on Infants and Toddlers: Joint Letter Urging Congress to Fully Fund WIC in Fiscal Year 2024

National News

2023 WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence Recipients Announced

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) announced the recipients of the 2023 WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence. In 2023, 125 local agencies received a WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence, and 15 state agencies received a WIC Breastfeeding Performance Bonus Award.

2023 State of Obesity Report

Trust for America's Health released the "State of Obesity 2023: Better Policies for a Healthier America" report. The 20^th annual State of Obesity report features a retrospective on the last 20 years of data trends, the changing understanding and strategy around obesity, policy milestones, and the essential work remaining. Breastfeeding is acknowledged as an obesity-reducing intervention throughout the report, and expanding federal funding for breastfeeding support programs is one of the proposed recommendations.

Interactive Map and Best Practices Guide on Paid Leave Policies for State Employees

A Better Balance published a new interactive map, "Map of Paid Parental & Family Caregiving Leave Policies for State Employees." The map provides a detailed look at paid parental and family leave policies for state government employees across 32 states, plus D.C. These policies directly benefit millions of state government employees and their families and put additional pressure on private sector employers to strengthen their paid leave policies to remain competitive. A Better Balance also published a guide that outlines best practices for state and local government paid family leave policies.

2023 State of Babies Yearbook

ZERO TO THREE announced the release of the "State of Babies Yearbook: 2023." The Yearbook identifies five areas where urgent action is needed at the federal level: maternal health, infant and early childhood mental health, child care, housing, and economic security. The report builds the case for Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) and the maternal and infant health benefits of a PFML policy, which include increased breastfeeding rates.

Playbook on Winning Paid Family and Medical Leave

The State Innovation Exchange, A Better Balance, and New America published "States Leading on Leave: A Playbook on Winning Paid Family and Medical Leave." The publication provides a guide on paid leave programs in thirteen states and the District of Columbia, and shares insights on campaign and strategy decisions gathered from interviews with legislators and advocates in states that have advanced paid family and medical leave. The resource is intended to support champions who are leading on paid leave in their states.

BLS Data on Employer-Provided Paid Leave

The Bureau of Labor Statistics published an Economic News Release titled "Employee Benefits in the United States Summary." The publication features updated data on employer-provided paid leave access as of March 2023. The data shows that nearly three-quarters of civilian workers (73 percent) still lack access to paid family leave through their employers, and nearly six in ten (59 percent) do not have paid medical leave through employer-provided temporary disability insurance. Media highlights:

New America: "A Nation of Paid Family Leave Have- and Have-Nots Characterizes the United States in 2023"

CARE for Moms Act Introduced

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) introduced the CARE for Moms Act (S. 2846/H.R. 5568). The bill would address rising maternal mortality and morbidity rates by supporting the maternal health workforce and promoting access to prenatal and postpartum care. The legislation includes a range of provisions, including establishing a state-based Perinatal Quality Collaborative grant program; establishing Regional Centers of Excellence to tackle implicit bias and promote cultural competence among health professionals; supporting federal efforts to grow and diversify the doula workforce; extending Medicaid coverage for postpartum mothers in all 50 states; extending WIC benefits for postpartum and breastfeeding women for two years; and requiring HHS to produce a report on federal funding allocation for maternal health needs.

Continuing Resolution Signed Into Law

The House and Senate passed and the President signed the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act (H.R.5860) to temporarily fund the government through Friday, November 17. Known as a continuing resolution, the bill gives policymakers additional time to negotiate and pass the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills, preventing a government shutdown.

PREEMIE Act Advances in Senate

The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held an Executive Session which included consideration of the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who Deliver Infants Early (PREEMIE) Reauthorization Act of 2023 (S. 1573/H.R. 3226). The committee voted to advance the bill. The PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023 would renew Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research and programs on preterm birth; reauthorize Health Resources and Services Administration activities aimed at promoting healthy pregnancies and preventing preterm birth; provide for a new study on the costs, the impact of social factors, and gaps in public health programs that lead to prematurity; and establish an entity in the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate all federal activities and programs related to preterm birth, infant mortality, and other adverse birth outcomes.

USBC Insight: In 2006, Congress passed the original PREEMIE Act (P.L. 109-450), the only federal law dedicated to the research, prevention, and treatment of preterm birth. The legislation authorizes the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), one of the major data sources on breastfeeding rates, and the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality. In 2018, Congress reauthorized a 5-year extension, called the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act, renewing the U.S. commitment to address preterm birth through federal research, promoting known interventions, and promoting community initiatives. Authorization for PREEMIE Act programs will expire on December 31, 2023 if the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023 is not passed.

Healthy People in States and Territories Webpage

Healthy People 2030 published the "Healthy People in States and Territories" webpage. The new resource provides an overview of the Healthy People State and Territorial Coordinators, a list and links for the most recently available health improvement plans for all states, territories, and island jurisdictions, and links to relevant Leading Health Indicators.

National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives Website

The National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (NNPQC), an initiative funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has launched a new public website. The website features a short documentary about the impact of PQCs on maternal and infant health disparities, along with an interactive map with PQC contact and activity information. PQC members can also access the PQC Portal, a new online collaboration tool, to communicate and share about the project.

NASEM Report on Complementary Feeding Interventions

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published the consensus study report, "Complementary Feeding Interventions for Infants and Young Children Under Age 2: Scoping of Promising Interventions to Implement at the Community or State Level." This report summarizes evidence and provides information on interventions addressing complementary feeding of infants and young children that could be scaled up or implemented at a community or state level.

State & Community News

Lactation Accommodation Bill Introduced in Wisconsin

Wisconsin legislators introduced Assembly Bill 436. The bill would require Wisconsin employers to provide reasonable break time and accommodations for a breastfeeding employee to express breast milk.

Issue Brief on Access to State Paid Leave Programs for Self-Employed Workers

The Center for American Progress released a report, "Self-Employed Workers' Access to State Paid Leave Programs in 2023." This issue brief explains the availability of state paid family and medical leave programs for self-employed workers in the United States. Currently, 13 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. have passed paid family and medical leave laws. Twelve of the 14 existing state paid leave programs allow self-employed people to voluntarily opt in to coverage: California, New York, Washington, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Oregon, Colorado, Maryland, Delaware, Minnesota, Maine, and Washington, D.C.