Due to significant health benefits for the mother and child, the World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend six months of exclusive breastfeeding for all infants. We need to do all we can to support mothers when they decide to breastfeed. That is why I have introduced legislation for many years to protect a mother’s right to breastfeed and promote breastfeeding as an option for working mothers.
I was so proud to partner with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to pass into law a provision of our bill, the Breastfeeding Promotion Act (H.R. 2819, S. 1744), in comprehensive health care reform legislation signed by President Obama on March 23, 2010. The provision states that employers shall provide breastfeeding employees, who are hourly workers, with “reasonable break time” and a private, non-bathroom place to express breast milk during the workday, up until the child’s first birthday.
Full Text of H.R. 2819
|
