WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), Stephanie Bice (R-OK-05) and Maria Salazar (R-FL-27) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to expand access to donated breast milk for medically vulnerable infants at nonprofit milk banks nationwide. The Access to Donor Milk Act would allow state agencies to support donor milk programs with Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), enable nonprofit milk banks to ramp up production in critical shortages, promote the benefits of and need for donor milk, and solve wonky regulation issues that impact access for our most vulnerable. 

“This legislation started as a conversation with a lactation consultant in my home community at Paoli Hospital. After learning how parents are struggling to access safe donor breast milk for their vulnerable infants, I knew we needed to provide more support,” said Rep. Houlahan. “The Access to Donor Milk Act is the solution. This bill offers parents the safe, reliable nutrition options their babies need to grow and thrive.” 

Donor milk is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for high-risk infants when a mother’s own milk is absent or insufficient in quantity. But the FDA has left donor breast milk in a grey regulatory zone, limiting WIC’s ability to cover donor milk for medically vulnerable infants and leaving low-income women and families behind. The lack of official regulation has also caused a lack of awareness about the availability of this life-saving option. Women don’t know that they can donate milk, and many women, families, and medical professionals do not know they can access it when in need.   

Through close collaboration with stakeholders, Houlahan championed the Access to Donor Milk Act to address these barriers and ensure no family is left without the food they need to feed their babies. The bill has a history of bipartisan support in both the House and Senate – and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is also advocating for expanded donor milk supply.  

“As a parent of two children, I am pleased to help lead this bipartisan initiative that aims to provide vital nutrients for infants and guard against future shortages of infant formula,” said Rep. Bice. “Our community in Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District is fortunate to have the Oklahoma Mother’s Milk Bank, which enables mothers to provide safe, pasteurized milk to infants in need. I will continue working to advance efforts that support families throughout the nation and appreciate the support of Rep. Houlahan on this issue.” 

“As a mother of two beautiful daughters, I know every baby deserves the healthiest possible start in life,” said Rep. Salazar. “When a mother’s milk is unavailable or supply runs short, safe donor breast milk can be a lifeline for families and be critical to the health and survival of premature and medically vulnerable babies. I am proud to help lead this bipartisan effort to expand access to donor milk, support nonprofit milk banks, and help more families get the nutrition their babies need.” 

The Access to Donor Milk Act is supported by a wide-ranging coalition of organizations, including: 1,000 Days, an Initiative of FHI Solutions; 2020 Mom; African American Breastfeeding Network; American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Pediatrics; Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs; Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA); Institute for the Advancement of Breastfeeding & Lactation Education; March of Dimes; Mom Congress; MomsRising; National Partnership for Women & Families; National WIC Association; National Women’s Health Network; NEC Society; Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere; The Lactation Network; US Breastfeeding Committee; United States Lactation Consultant Association and ZERO TO THREE. 

“Donor milk is a safe, evidence-based intervention that protects premature and ill infants. Nonprofit milk banks have a long track record of providing safe, high-quality donor milk to hospitals and families at home,” said Lindsay Groff, Executive Director of HMBANA. “Expanding access ensures more medically vulnerable babies receive the care they need, and we appreciate the sponsors of the Access to Donor Milk Act for prioritizing this.” 

“Far too often, infants who could benefit from donor milk – especially those with very low birth weight – lack access to it, which means they can miss out on vital nutrition support when they need it most. The bipartisan Access to Donor Milk Act would provide much-needed funding, resources, and education to help connect families to donor milk,” said Andrew D. Racine, MD, PhD, FAAP, President of American Academy of Pediatrics. “Pediatricians applaud Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Maria Salazar (R-Fla.), and Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) for raising the awareness of infants' nutritional needs through their commitment to this issue and their vision in crafting this important legislation. We urge Congress to pass this important bill.” 

The bipartisan Access to Donor Milk Act would: 

• Empower State Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Agencies to use excess funds to purchase coolers to collect and store donated milk before it is collected by a donor milk bank; 

• Provide $3 million in emergency funding to nonprofit donor milk banks to support donor milk demand following an event that causes an urgent spike in demand for donor milk; 

• Establish a donor milk awareness program at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and a develop public awareness campaign at HRSA educate the public on donor milk from donor milk banks registered with the FDA; and 

• Require FDA to convene a public meeting of stakeholders to examine potential donor milk regulation and then develop guidance on the best practices for donor milk donation, processing, storage and distribution. 

Read the full text of the bill here. 

--end--