On the recordMay 18, 2022
As a mother myself, I rise today in support of the Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act, a bipartisan bill that would ensure every medical facility managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs contains a lactation space. Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler joined me in introducing this bill in 2021, and I thank her for her leadership on this issue. This is an issue where Congress has worked together in a bipartisan manner, and we know that more work like this needs to be done. In 2019, the Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act was signed into law. That legislation required public buildings containing public restrooms to also provide a hygienic space, other than a restroom, for mothers to express milk, not only for employees, but for members of the public as well. Today, there are 90 VA facilities across the country with designated nursing rooms, but today these spaces are for employees of the VA only, not veteran mothers as well. The bipartisan Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act expands access to clean, safe, and convenient lactation spaces for all VA medical facilities throughout the country for women who have served our Nation and our military families.…
