Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - USBC Virtual Summit Next Week, Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month, & more

In this issue:

• USBC Updates
  • Join the USBC Virtual Summit Next Week! Registration Closes Wednesday
  • Make Travel Easier for Breastfeeding Parents: Call on Congress to Pass the BABES Enhancement Act
• Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month
• International News
  • WHO Implementation Guidance on Transitioning to Midwifery Models of Care
• National News
  • House Committee Advances BABES Enhancement Act Toward Floor Vote
  • Bill Introduced to Enhance Funding for Maternal Health Care Services
• Action 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

Join the USBC Virtual Summit Next Week! Registration Closes Wednesday

The United States Breastfeeding Committee, in collaboration with Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) and the American Public Health Association (APHA) Breastfeeding Forum, is hosting a Virtual Summit, Forward Together: Meeting the Moment on Thursday, July 31, from 12 p.m. ET through 5:30 p.m. ET. Our plenary sessions will feature discussions on community-led infant and young feeding in emergencies strategies, and breastfeeding research hot topics. The deadline to register is Wedensday, July 30 at 8 p.m. ET. Learn more and register today! 

Make Travel Easier for Breastfeeding Parents: Call on Congress to Pass the BABES Enhancement Act

You can take action with the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee to help make air travel easier for breastfeeding families. Use our quick action tool to call on Congress to pass the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act which would require the TSA to issue guidance on handling baby formula, breast milk, and baby food and would require a review of how TSA officers are complying with screening requirements. 

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Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month

National Breastfeeding Month (NBM) is right around the corner! The 2025 NBM theme is Forward Together. The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee and the lactation field are busy preparing activities, events, and celebrations. Join us as we take the time in August (and beyond!) for action, education, and celebration of our collective efforts. Share your organization's plans with us so we can amplify your work in the Weekly Wire and on social media, shop the USBC Store for official NBM merch, and make a donation to help support important campaigns like this one. Highlights from the field include:

•  NBCW: The Native Breastfeeding Coalition of Wisconsin released the "Indigenous Milk Medicine Week 2025 Toolkit." The toolkit includes activities to consider during the week, messaging and graphics for social media, and Indigenous-themed coloring pages. 
• WABA: The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action released an Action Folder for World Breastfeeding Week that is available for download in English, Arabic, Portugese, and Spanish. The resource includes key actions countries can take to create a sustainable breastfeeding support system that is embedded into every layer of society and features case studies from across the globe that showcase successful breastfeeding support initiatives. 
• WHO & UNICEF: In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, the Global Breastfeeding Collective, an initiative led by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, is hosting a webinar, "Building healthcare systems that truly support breastfeeding: new tools for sustainable change" on Tuesday, August 5 and Wednesday, August 6. The webinar will introduce three powerful tools countries can use to enhance the quality of breastfeeding support at every level of their healthcare systems. The webinar will be held at two times with a similar agenda to accommodate time zones.

Breastfeeding Proclamations:

• Georgia: Governor Kemp proclaimed August 1-7 2025 as Breastfeeding Week in Georgia.
• Maryland: Governor Moore proclaimed August 2025 as Breastfeeding Month in Maryland.
• USDA: U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins issued a proclamation to declare August 1-7 as National WIC Breastfeeding Week.

Local Events:

• CINCH: #757Breastfeeds, an initiative of the Consortium for Infant and Child Health (CINCH) is hosting the fifth annual Breastfeeding Bash in honor of National Breastfeeding Month on Saturday, August 9 in Norfolk, VA. This event is designed to uplift breastfeeding families with engaging activities for the whole family, free food, exciting giveaways, and an opportunity to connect with local lactation consultants, doulas, and a variety of maternal and infant health resources. 

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International News

WHO Implementation Guidance on Transitioning to Midwifery Models of Care

The World Health Organization released a guidance document, "Implementation Guidance on Transitioning to Midwifery Models of Care." To improve maternal and newborn health and well-being outcomes and achieve universal health coverage, the WHO supports the transition to midwifery models of care; a way to optimize service delivery to better meet the needs of women and newborns before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth. This document provides strategic and practical guidance to countries transitioning to midwifery models of care.

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National News

House Committee Advances BABES Enhancement Act Toward Floor Vote

The House Committee on Homeland Security has officially reported the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act (S.260/H.R.820) out of committee and placed it on the Union Calendar. This procedural move means the bill has cleared committee review and is now eligible for consideration by the full House of Representatives.

USBC Insight: 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. The Senate has already passed the bill, but to move forward, the bill must be prioritized for a vote on the House floor—and your voice can make a difference. Use our easy action tool to contact your Representative and urge them to support this commonsense legislation to make air travel easier for new parents.

Bill Introduced to Enhance Funding for Maternal Health Care Services

Representative Williams (GA-5) introduced the Advancing Maternal Health Equity Under Medicaid Act (H.R. 4150). The bill would authorize a 90% federal matching rate for Medicaid expenditures on maternal health care services that exceed 2019 baseline levels. To be eligible for the enhanced funding, states must supplement, not replace, existing Medicaid spending and commit the additional dollars to activities that expand capacity, improve efficiency, and enhance quality of maternal health care services through one year postpartum. The bill explicitly recognizes breastfeeding and lactation educators and counselors as essential perinatal health workers.

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Action Opportunities

Department of Defense: "Proposed Collection; Comment Request - Childbirth and Breastfeeding Demonstration Survey." Comments deadline: Friday, September 19.

Food and Drug Administration: "E21 Inclusion of Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women in Clinical Trials; International Council for Harmonisation; Draft Guidance for Industry; Availability." Comments deadline: Friday, September 19.

 Human Milk Banking Association of North America: "HR 2300 Opposition Letter Sign On Form." Sign-on deadline: Wednesday, July 30. 

USBC Insight: H.R. 2300 would shield preterm infant formula manufacturers from liability while a federal study is conducted. The bill would also retroactively dismiss pending litigation, leaving families without recourse for prior harm. Safe, transparent, and accountable infant feeding options are essential—especially for our most vulnerable infants. This bill prioritizes corporate protection over infant safety and sets a concerning precedent for the infant nutrition landscape. National organizations are invited to sign this letter opposing the bill.

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Upcoming Events

Friday, July 25:

• Health, Education, Advocacy, and Leadership Summit: "Bridging Gaps in Maternal Health: A Population Health Perspective"

On-Demand:

•  Michigan Breastfeeding Network - Great Lakes Breastfeeding Webinar: "When Systems Fail: Racism, Resistance, and the Power of Community"

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News & Views

Health Policy Today: "How Can Washington Invest in Saving Moms?"

Medela: "Our commitment to breastfeeding"

Savannah Community Headlines: "Healthy Savannah Recognizes Georgia Southern University as a “Breastfeeding Welcome Here” SPACE"

Society for Human Resource Management: "Big Beautiful Bill Makes Paid-Medical-Leave Tax Credit Permanent"