Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5738 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5738

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 26, 2021

    Mrs. Luria (for herself and Ms. Herrera Beutler) 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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

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

SEC. 2. 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:
``Sec. 1720K. Lactation spaces in medical facilities 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 female veterans, employees of 
        the Department, 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 
1720J the following new item:

``1720K. Lactation spaces in medical centers of the Department.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry 
out section 1720K of title 38, United States Code, as added by this 
section, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
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