To:     Interested Parties
From:   Gail Ravnitzky
        Legislative Director for Rep. Carolyn Maloney
Date:   February 26, 1999
RE:     breastfeeding/lactation legislation
        in the 106th Congress

The "Breastfeeding Promotion and Employers' Tax Incentive Act of 1999,"
will
be introduced in Congress on March 16.  (It will be assigned an H.R. #
on
March 16.)

This bill was included as part of a comprehensive breastfeeding bill
introduced by Rep. Maloney last year.  This is the first of several
smaller
bills on lactation that will be introduced by Rep. Maloney this year.

The "Breastfeeding Promotion and Employers' Tax Incentive Act of 1999"
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.

The bill will be referred to the Ways and Means Committee.  The Ways and

Means Subcommittee on Human Resources will be holding a hearing on "Tax
Policy and Child Care" on March 16.  As a Co-Chair of the Congressional
Caucus for Women's Issues, Rep. Maloney will be testifying at this
hearing
on several child care initiatives including the "Breastfeeding Promotion
and
Employers' Tax Incentive Act of 1999."

>From now until March 16, you have an opportunity to contact Members of
the
Subcommittee to let them know that this bill will be brought before them
on
that day.  (NOTE: there will not be a vote on this bill, but you can
encourage Members of Congress to learn about this issue as it will be
discussed by Rep. Maloney during her testimony.)

It is also important to show Members of the Subcommittee how this bill
will
benefit businesses in their districts.  If you know of a company in the
areas listed below, please let me know as soon as possible.    If you
are
sending me information about a company with a lactation program, please
include ALL of the following info:  name of company, full address of
company, phone/fax/email, contact person, and a very brief description
of
the program.

The Members of the Subcommittee are:
     Nancy Johnson (New Britain, CT area)
     Phil English (Erie, PA and Butler, PA areas)
     Wes Watkins (McAlester, OK and Stillwater, OK areas)
     Ron Lewis (Elizabethtown, KY and Bowling Green, KY areas)
     Mark Foley (Palm Beach Gardens, FL and Port St. Lucie, FL areas)
     Scott McInnis (Glenwood Springs, CO and Durango, CO areas)
     Jim McCrery (Shreveport, LA area)
     Dave Camp (Midland, Mich. and Owosso, Mich. areas)
     Ben Cardin (Baltimore, MD area)
     Pete Stark (Fremont, Calif. area)
     Bob Matsui (Sacramento, Calif. area)
     Bill Coyne (Pittsburgh, Penn. area)
     Bill Jefferson (New Orleans, Louisiana area)


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--
Cindy Curtis,RN,IBCLC
Virginia,USA
mailto:[log in to unmask]
Benefits of Breastfeeding Page  http://www.erols.com/cindyrn