Staying Abreast: Weekly Wire - WIC Social Media Day of Action Today, Public Comment Opportunity Deadline 9/13, and 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 - WIC Social Media Day of Action Today, Public Comment Opportunity Deadline 9/13, and more

9/12/2023

In this issue:

USBC Updates
- New USBC Members: Kitsap County Breastfeeding Coalition and The Bloom Collective
- Reminder: Apply to Join a USBC Committee
- September is National Preparedness Month: Share IYCFE Resources!
- USBC Supports...
Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month
National News
- WIC Social Media Day of Action
- Committee Appointments Announced for NASEM Study on Infant Formula Supply and Regulation
- 2023 State Physical Activity and Nutrition Awardees
- Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Update
- FDA Issues Warning Letter to Infant Formula Manufacturers
- OXFAM Best and Worst States to Work in America 2023 Report
- Child Trends Report on Inclusive Paid Family Leave Policies
State & Community News
- Minnesota Law Breastfeeding Fact Sheet
- Wisconsin Bill Introduced to Expand Protections for Lactating Workers
Upcoming Events
Funding Opportunities
News & Views
Journal Publications

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

USBC Updates

New USBC Members: Kitsap County Breastfeeding Coalition and The Bloom Collective

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is pleased to welcome two new organizations to the USBC membership! The Kitsap Breastfeeding Coalition assists mothers and their families in achieving their breastfeeding goals through community advocacy, education, and the creation of a more welcoming breastfeeding environment throughout Kitsap County, WA. The Bloom Collective offers a community of highly skilled wellness practitioners, partners, and trusted advisors who work collaboratively to provide pregnant and postpartum women with individualized holistic services during the perinatal period. The collective acknowledges the power behind centering Black/African and Indigenous traditions in holistic wellness and care during each phase of reproductive health, pregnancy, birthing, and postpartum experiences.

Reminder: Apply to Join a USBC Committee

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee is still accepting applications for Committee Service. The USBC is seeking to fill up to fifteen openings across six committees. Volunteers provide critical recommendations to the USBC Board of Directors regarding membership, finances, operationalizing equity, and beyond. We hope you'll join us!

The following committees are open to all interested individuals:

Conference Program Committee (2 positions)
CRASH Committee (3 positions)

The following committees are open to USBC member organization representatives:

Fabulous Fundraising Committee (5 positions)
Finance & Audit Committee (1 to 2 positions)
Membership Engagement Committee (1 position)
Nominating Committee (1 to 2 positions)

Duties vary by committee. Visit the USBC Committee webpage to learn about the work of each group.

September is National Preparedness Month: Share IYCFE Resources!

September is National Preparedness Month, an annual observance to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. The 2023 National Preparedness Month theme is Take Control in 1, 2, 3 and provides an important opportunity to share information and take action to protect infant and young child feeding in emergencies. If your organization hosts relevant human milk-feeding resources that you'd like amplified on the USBC Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies webpage, share them with us by using the submission form. USBC member organizations are invited to share upcoming events on this or any lactation content for the USBC Events Calendar by submitting them through the USBC Member Portal.

USBC Supports...

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee joined the following organizational sign-on letter from the field:

HMBANA: Joint letter supporting report requirement in NDAA on donor milk reimbursement under TRICARE program

Special Section on National Breastfeeding Month

This week marked the end of Semana de La Lactancia Latina (Latina/x Breastfeeding Week), the final weekly observance during National Breastfeeding Month. The official This is Our Why National Breastfeeding Month t-shirts are still available for purchase in both English and Spanish. Order your limited-edition t-shirt today to express why you are committed to the support and protection of breastfeeding and human milk feeding. Highlights from the field include:

Breastfeeding Proclamations

This year, the USBC celebrates the achievement of 21 state, city, and county proclamations acknowledging National Breastfeeding Month and weekly observances. If your state or local breastfeeding proclamation is not listed below, please submit it to our communications team so that we can highlight your efforts!
- State Proclamations:
  - California
  - Illinois
  - Kansas
  - Kentucky
  - Maine
  - Michigan
  - Nebraska
  - New Jersey
  - Pennsylvania
  - South Dakota
  - Vermont
  - West Virginia
  - Wisconsin
- Local Proclamations:

NBM News & Views

Amplify: "Why we need a Latina/x Breastfeeding Week"
LDH: "Louisiana Department of Health celebrates National Breastfeeding Month"
LLL USA: "Celebrating Latina/x Breastfeeding Week (Semana de La Lactancia Latina): Chuchú"
Montana DPHHS: "August is National Breastfeeding Month Reminding New or Expecting Parents to Take Advantage of WIC"
NCDHHS: "New Comprehensive Resource Available to Support Breastfeeding"
Our Milky Way: "Celebrating Semana de La Lactancia Latina and the efforts of Lactancia Latina en el Suroeste de Kansas"
Pennsylvania Pressroom: "Shapiro Administration Discusses Health Benefits Of Breastfeeding During Visit To Mid-Atlantic Mothers' Milk Bank"
South Carolina DHEC: "It's National Breastfeeding Month: This is Our Why"

National News

WIC Social Media Day of Action

The National WIC Association, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, MomsRising, and the Coalition on Human Needs are hosting the WIC Social Media Day of Action, today, Tuesday, September 12. The event will call on the Senate to ensure that funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children is adequate to meet projected caseloads in 2024.

Committee Appointments Announced for NASEM Study on Infant Formula Supply and Regulation

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced provisional appointments and conflict of interest disclosures for the "Challenges in Supply, Market Competition, and Regulation of Infant Formula in the United States" committee. The committee will examine challenges in supply, market competition, and regulation of infant formula in the United States and produce a report of its findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Formal comments on the provisional appointments will be accepted through Wednesday, September 13. Comments will be considered before committee membership is finalized.

2023 State Physical Activity and Nutrition Awardees

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the 2023 State Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) Program recipients. Seventeen states received funding to complete the 5-year CDC program in which they will put into action evidence-based strategies to address poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and obesity, including continuity of care in breastfeeding support.

Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Update

The current Fiscal Year 2023 budget ends on Saturday, September 30, but Congress has not yet passed the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills. The full Senate will soon consider its first spending package, which includes three appropriations bills: the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies; and Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bills. Funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children is included in the Agriculture Appropriations bill.

USBC Insight: Learn how the current bills would impact infant feeding by viewing the chart on the Federal Appropriations for Breastfeeding webpage and in the following two USBC blogs:

FDA Issues Warning Letter to Infant Formula Manufacturers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to three infant formula manufacturers as part of the agency's effort to enhance regulatory oversight and ensure that the industry is producing infant formula in the safest conditions. The letters were issued to ByHeart Inc., Mead Johnson Nutrition (Reckitt), and Perrigo Wisconsin, LLC for violations discovered during FDA facility inspections.

Oxfam Best and Worst States to Work in America 2023 Report

Oxfam published a report titled, "Best and Worst States to Work in America 2023." Each year, the Best States to Work Index assesses and ranks the U.S. states on labor laws that determine compensation, conditions, and rights for workers. The index is based on state policies in three dimensions: wages, worker protections, and rights to organize. The data points for worker protection policies include paid sick and family leave and paid pumping breaks for lactating workers.

Child Trends Report on Inclusive Paid Family Leave Policies

Child Trends released a report titled, "Recommendations for Creating Equitable and Inclusive Paid Family Leave Policies." The brief outlines the impacts of paid parental leave for families and communities and describes the current policy landscape for paid parental leave in the United States. The report offers six research-informed recommendations for policymakers to consider as they work to develop equitable and inclusive paid parental leave policies. These recommendations are designed to guide state-level efforts but may also be applicable to leaders at the local and federal levels who are working to increase access to paid parental leave.

State & Community News

Minnesota Law Breastfeeding Fact Sheet

The Public Health Law Center published a fact sheet titled, "Breastfeeding/Chestfeeding: What Minnesota Law Says." This fact sheet explains the Minnesota and federal laws that protect breastfeeding/chestfeeding parents at work and other places, including changes that went into effect in 2023.

Wisconsin Bill Introduced to Expand Protections for Lactating Workers

A group of Wisconsin Senators introduced Senate Bill 430. The bill would require reasonable break time for employees to express breast milk for their children under one year of age and apply those requirements to all employers, including the state, employing at least one individual. In addition, the bill would require an employer to provide access to an electrical outlet, running water, and a refrigerator for the storage of breast milk.

Upcoming Events

Bipartisan Policy Center: "Breaking Barriers: Poll Results on Paid Family Leave and Supporting Work," Tuesday, September 12, at 11 a.m. ET.

Center for Public Health Continuing Education: "Role of Legislation in Supporting Pregnant and Breastfeeding Employees in the Workplace," Thursday, October 12, at 10 a.m. ET.

Family Values at Work: "Family Values at Work - Train-a-Thon"

"Coalition Building & Maintenance," Tuesday, September 12, at 4:30 p.m. ET.
"Growing Your Reach: Digitally and On the Ground," Wednesday, September 13, at 4:30 p.m. ET.
"Working Well & Creating a Humane Workplace," Thursday, September 14, at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Johns Hopkins University: "JHSON Virtual Nursing Grand Rounds: Ensuring Breastfeeding Success in a Market-Driven World: The 2023 Lancet Breastfeeding Series," Wednesday, September 27, at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Office of Management and Budget: "Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Tribal Consultation on FY 2025 Budget," Wednesday, September 27, at 1 p.m. ET.

Society for Human Resource Management: "How to PUMP Up Your Workplace Lactation Program and Stay Compliant," Monday, September 18, at 4 p.m. ET.

Springer Publishing: "Live Q&A with Dr. Hale and Dr. Krutsch: Unlocking Insights from Lactational Pharmacology Experts," Thursday, September 14, at 1 p.m. ET.

Office on Women's Health: "Breastfeeding Promotion Strategies for Engaging African American Families," Wednesday, September 14, at 1 p.m. ET.

U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division: "The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act Webinar Series"