In a message dated 7/1/99 9:44:25 PM Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<<
 > To: Interested Parties
 > From: Gail Ravnitzky
 > Legislative Director for Rep. Carolyn Maloney
 > Date: July 1, 1999
 > RE: GOOD NEWS -- a big victory on lactation legislation
 >
 >
 > Rep. Maloney recently introduced legislation (the Right to Breastfeed Act,
 > H.R. 1848) to protect a woman's right to breastfeed on federal property
 > where she and her child have a right to be.  This bill was referred to the
 > Government Reform Committee.
 >
 >
 > WHAT HAPPENED
 > Today, Thursday, July 1, 1999, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on
 the
 > Interior (which funds the National Park Service, Smithsonian Museums, and
 > several other federal museums) accepted an amendment similar to the
 Maloney
 > bill.  The amendment, offered by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), (a
 > member of the subcommittee) said:
 >
 > "A woman may breastfeed her child at any location in a
 > building or on property that is part of the National Park System, the
 > Smithsonian Institution, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing
 Arts,
 > the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, or the National Gallery of
 Art,
 > if the woman and her child are otherwise permitted to be present at the
 > location."
 >
 >
 > WHAT HAPPENS NOW
 > Although the amendment was accepted by voice vote (unanimously), there are
 > still many ways in which the language can be killed, so it is critical to
 > make a very strong statement to Members of Congress about why this
 provision
 > is so important.
 >
 > The remaining process on the Interior bill is as follows:  The Rules
 > Committee will meet to decide whether the Roybal-Allard amendment will be
 > "protected" and allowed to continue on to the House Floor as an amendment
 to
 > the Interior bill. (Reps. Maloney and Roybal-Allard will speak to the
 Rules
 > Committee and ask them to protect it, but your Representatives need to
 hear
 > from you!)  Then, the bill will move to the House floor (hopefully with
 the
 > new provision), and there will be a final vote on the Interior bill.
 Then,
 > the bill moves to the Senate.
 >
 >
 > WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW
 > NOW IS THE TIME to write to your Representative in Congress and ask
 him/her
 > to:
 > 1.  Cosponsor H.R. 1848
 > 2.  Support the Roybal-Allard language in the Interior
 > Appropriations bill when it comes to the floor.
 > [You can reach your Congressperson by writing to The Honorable
 > _________________, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.
 Or
 > call 202-225-3121 to find out who it is.]
 >
 > Also, feel free to send a letter of thank you to Rep. Lucille
 Roybal-Allard
 > for her work on this issue.  Her address:   The Honorable Lucille
 > Roybal-Allard, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.
 >
 >
 > OTHER NEWS
 > *Sorry to say that so many bad stories keep coming in about people being
 > fired and/or harassed at work.  However, we are also hearing from lots of
 > companies who are investing in lactation programs, and the moms who have
 > benefited.
 > *The most updated state law information is available on our website.
 > *Also, many of you (now over 1300!)  have suggested new issues for us to
 > tackle, and although many are worthwhile, it is overwhelming, so please
 > understand that we'd like to focus on the legislation at hand before
 taking
 > on more issues.
 > *Why does this legislation only apply to federal property?  Because we
 don't
 > have jurisdiction over states, unless we tie the bill to a federal funding
 > stream.  So, it is much much harder to do.
 > *Today's news is a tremendous start, and we look forward to more victories
 > during the next few months.  Thanks to everyone who has helped to put this
 > together and sent stories about breastfeeding on federal property.  You
 made
 > the difference!
 >
 >
 > OTHER LEGISLATION
 > Pregnancy Discrimination Act Amendment of 1999, (H.R. 1478)  -  Clarifies
 > the Pregnancy Discrimination Act to protect breastfeeding under civil
 rights
 > law, requiring that women cannot be fired or discriminated against in the
 > workplace for expressing breast milk (or directly breastfeeding) during
 her
 > own lunch time or break time. Until now, courts have not interpreted the
 PDA
 > definition of "pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions" to
 > include breastfeeding.
 >
 > Breastfeeding Promotion and Employers' Tax Incentive Act of 1999, (H.R.
 > 1163)  -  Encourages employers to set up a safe, private, and sanitary
 > environment for women to express (or pump) breast milk by providing a tax
 > credit for employers who set up a lactation location, purchase or rent
 > lactation-related equipment, hire a lactation consultant, or otherwise
 > promote a lactation-friendly environment. For example, some larger
 companies
 > will set up a nursing mothers' room and buy equipment for the room.
 Smaller
 > companies may just purchase or rent breast pumps, and pay for lactation
 > support. The tax credit is for 50% of what a company spends on these
 > "qualified expenses." Many companies are already doing this and many want
 to
 > expand their programs.
 >
 > Safe and Effective Breastpumps Act, (H.R. _____ -- not yet introduced)  -
 > Requires the FDA to develop minimum quality standards for breast pumps to
 > ensure that products on the market are safe and effective.
 >
 >
 > If you would like to be added to or deleted from our e-mail update list,
 > please contact:   [log in to unmask]     Please be sure to
 > include your full e-mail address in the text of the message.   NOTE:  If
 you
 > are receiving this message from someone other than Gail, she cannot delete
 > your name from the e-mail update list.
 >

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