Do you think that breastfeeding is a basic human right? Well, your help is needed. The Breastfeeding Promotion Act is stalled in Congress, and only pressure from citizens like you and me will get it back on track.
The following information is taken from an e-mail message from MomsRising asking for immediate action to help get the Breastfeeding Promotion Act moving in Congress.
A few months ago, a mother was ejected from a New York museum for
breastfeeding, a perfectly legal act in that state. Sadly, this incident is yet another example of mothers continuing to suffer discrimination and humiliation for breastfeeding, even though doctors
recommend breastfeeding for all infants.
Clearly we need Congress to pass Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s Breastfeeding
Promotion Act (H.R. 3799). This Act would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to
protect breastfeeding by new mothers by providing tax credits to employers who
provide a place to breastfeed and/or provide breast pumps. This makes it a lot
easier for women who want to give their babies breast milk and keep their jobs.
This issue is critically important to a large portion of our nation: 82% of
American women become mothers by the time they are 44 years old. To read the
bill, visit The
Library of Congress Website.
However, the Breastfeeding Promotion Act is currently stalled in Congress
and won’t move forward without pressure from you and me. Here are two things
you can do right now to help get the Breastfeeding Promotion Act moving forward
right now:
E-mail this article to your family
and friends so that they can take action, too.
All of our voices are needed to get
H.R. 3799 moving forward.
MomsRising members have successfully raised awareness about the need to
protect the rights of breastfeeding mothers in the past and can do it again.
Last year, its members and other activists changed Delta Airlines’ corporate
policies when a mother was removed from a flight for breastfeeding.
Let’s support mothers who are nurturing and caring for the next generation
of Americans. Those nursing babies may not be able to vote, but their mothers
and fathers can!
MomsRising is working to bring together millions of people who share
a common concern about the need to build a more family-friendly
America. Started in May of 2006, MomsRising has gained over 140,000
citizen members and is rapidly growing. More than 85 national and state
organizations have signed on to be aligned with MomsRising.
Our members are bringing important motherhood and family issues to
the forefront of the country's awareness. We are working to create both
cultural and legislative change. It is time to break the logjam that
has been holding back family-friendly legislation for decades and to
advance workplace policies that will support families.
MomsRising offers easy entry into citizen advocacy and is bringing
the power of online organizing to motherhood and family issues.
Laurel Haring is a writer and editor. She lives in Delaware
with her husband, two sons, two dogs, and the occasional groundhog.
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