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Statement

No Mom Should Have to Pump in a Filthy Bathroom or Closet! U.S. House Passage of PUMP Act Can Improve Health of Moms and Babies, But U.S. Senate Must Pass It Too.

October 22, 2021
Breastfeeding

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of leaders of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on today’s U.S. House of Representatives passage of the bipartisan Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act (H.R. 3110):

“For as long as MomsRising has existed, our members have shared horror stories about being forced to pump breastmilk in bathrooms, as well as cars, closets, coatrooms, and cafeterias, because they had no alternative. The U.S. House of Representatives took an important step to change that today by passing H.R. 3110, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act. If it becomes law, the PUMP Act will make life better for 9 million women of childbearing age who are without protections that would give them time and a private space to pump breastmilk at work. It can protect the health and lives of moms and infants.

“The Affordable Care Act requires employers to give many working people reasonable break time and a private location other than a restroom to express breastmilk for one year after giving birth. It was a great first step, but it left out millions of parents who work in hourly jobs and some salaried workers. The PUMP Act would change that by guaranteeing millions of employees who are unprotected by current law a reasonable amount of time and a private place to pump breast milk at their workplace.

This long overdue legislation would do a tremendous amount to safeguard the health and economic security of women and families. The U.S. Senate must pass it too.”

-Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO, MomsRising

“Our country’s track record of supporting breastfeeding is abysmal. Breastfeeding is good for moms and babies and reduces premature infant deaths and pediatric health costs. Four in five moms start out breastfeeding in our country but less than half are still doing so six months after they give birth. The reason is often that they hit seemingly insurmountable barriers at their jobs. The pandemic has exacerbated this problem for working people who cannot do their jobs from home.

“The PUMP Act is the strongest lactation workplace law ever to be considered by Congress. Many women of color need it, because they are especially likely to be without the workplace accommodations they need to pump breastmilk. By supporting breastfeeding, the PUMP Act can reduce health disparities. The U.S. Senate must pass it as well.”

-Statement of Tina Sherman, Senior Campaign Director for Maternal Justice, MomsRising

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.