H.R. 1646House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 24, 2025 at 2:17 AM UTC

The Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act adds a new requirement to the U.S. Code that every Department of Veterans Affairs medical center must include a dedicated lactation space. The law defines the space’s features to ensure privacy, accessibility, and usability for women veterans and other members of the public who need to express breast milk. It also clarifies that the rule does not permit unauthorized entry into VA facilities. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must comply within two years of enactment.

Key Provisions

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must provide a dedicated lactation space at every VA medical center.
A lactation space is defined as a private, hygienic area (not a bathroom) that is shielded from view, free from intrusion, wheelchair‑accessible, equipped with a chair and a work surface, easy to locate, clearly signed, and available for women veterans and the public to express breast milk.
The requirement does not grant anyone the right to enter parts of a VA medical center they are not otherwise authorized to be in.
The Secretary must have all required lactation spaces in place no later than two years after the law takes effect.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

March 27, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 27, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

February 27, 2025

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

March 27, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 27, 2025

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1646

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 27, 2025

Ms. Underwood introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to require a lactation space in each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act.

Lactation spaces in medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs

(a)

In general

Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

1720M.

Lactation spaces in medical centers of the Department

(a)

Lactation space required

The Secretary shall ensure that each medical center of the Department contains a lactation space.

(b)

No unauthorized entry

Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize an individual to enter a medical center of the Department or portion thereof that the individual is not otherwise authorized to enter.

(c)

Lactation space defined

In this section, the term lactation space means a hygienic place, other than a bathroom, that—

(1)

is shielded from view;

(2)

is free from intrusion;

(3)

is accessible to disabled individuals (including such individuals who use wheelchairs);

(4)

contains a chair and a working surface;

(5)

is easy to locate;

(6)

is clearly identified with signage; and

(7)

is available for use by women veterans and members of the public to express breast milk.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item related to section 1720L the following new item:

1720M. Lactation spaces in medical centers of the Department.

(c)

Effective date

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out section 1720M of title 38, United States Code, as added by this section, not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act.