Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5738) to amend title 38, United States Code, to require a lactation space in each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 5738, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support for H.R. 5738, as amended, the Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act introduced by Chairwoman Luria. The purpose of this bill is to ensure that each Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center contain a hygienic lactation space that is not a bathroom.

This legislation requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide essential spaces to serve nursing individuals and veteran mothers which are shielded from view, contain a chair and work surface, are free from intrusion, and are accessible to disabled individuals. These spaces should also be easy to locate with clear, identifiable signs, and readily available for veteran moms.

This bill is endorsed by numerous veterans service organizations including the National Veterans Legal Services Program, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Women veterans make up the fastest-growing community within the veteran population. In order to adequately meet their needs, VA needs to provide culturally competent care and resources to ensure they will feel comfortable when they seek care at a VA facility.

This legislation, which ensures safe, dedicated spaces for lactation, further advances VA's mission to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment at its facilities.

Women veterans face many challenges accessing essential VA care benefits. The Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act ensures VA eliminates barriers that may discourage veteran moms from utilizing those benefits.

A vote in support of this bill is a vote for women veterans and shows our dedication to ensuring VA delivers equitable and safe spaces for veteran moms.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Luria), my good friend, author of H.R. 5738, and the chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing this very important legislation, H.R. 5738, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, 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.

My legislation requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that every medical facility managed by the VA contains a lactation space which is a hygienic place, other than a restroom, is shielded from view, is accessible to disabled individuals as well, contains a chair and a working surface, and is available for use by female veterans, employees of the Department, and members of the public.

Congress must do more to support our veteran mothers and the Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act will improve the quality of life for many of the women who have served our Nation and our military families, while they are accessing VA facilities.

I am grateful for the overwhelming support from my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for this important issue, and I advise my colleagues to advance this legislation favorably and ensure that the resources are available for every woman who visits VA facilities.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5738, the Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act. One of my priorities is strengthening services for women veterans. This bill would do that by ensuring that VA medical facilities have safe, clean, private spaces for them to use for breastfeeding.

VA is already required to create these spaces for VA employees. It is only right that we give veteran mothers who use VA facilities the ability to take care of their families this way as well.

I am grateful to Congresswoman Luria and Congresswoman Herrera Beutler for their work on this legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in support of it today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.