WASHINGTON, DC – Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) to make it easier for parents to safely embark on air travel with breast milk and breastfeeding supplies successfully passed through the Senate. The Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act would require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to clarify and regularly update guidance on handling breast milk, baby formula and other related nutrition products, including ice packs, in consultation with leading maternal health groups.
“I am proud to see the BABES Enhancement Act pass the Senate to help ensure that families can travel with peace of mind that milk and other supplies to keep young children fed are handled with care,” said Senator Hirono. “Parents have enough to worry about when traveling and shouldn’t have to fear being harassed, humiliated, or put in danger for simply traveling with materials they need to keep their babies fed.”
The bipartisan BABES Enhancement Act would help keep breastfeeding parents and their kids safe and healthy while traveling by air. Mishandled breast milk can become contaminated, which puts children at risk. Moreover, parents who lactate typically need to breastfeed or pump once every few hours. Failure to do so can result in a clogged milk duct or a painful infection called mastitis. The legislation would better protect families by requiring TSA to:
This legislation would also direct an independent government watchdog to conduct an audit of compliance with TSA screening policies for passengers traveling with breast milk and other infant nutrition products, providing lawmakers with information related to violations of policies.
The full text of the legislation is available here.
Senator Hirono has and continues to advocate for parents and to ease the ability to travel with breastfeeding materials. In May 2023, Senator Hirono reintroduced the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act, bipartisan legislation to make it easier for parents to safely embark on air travel with breast milk and breastfeeding supplies, including ice packs. This legislation would require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to clarify and regularly update guidance on handling breast milk, baby formula, and other related nutrition products in consultation with leading maternal health groups. In June 2022, Senator Hirono called on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to address inconsistent implementation of the 3-1-1 Liquids Rule Exemption travel policy for breastmilk and formula at airport security checkpoints, and ensure lactating individuals and their infants can travel safely without fear of harassment.
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