[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 778 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 200
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 778
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require a lactation space in
each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 27, 2025
Ms. Rosen (for herself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
October 22 (legislative day, October 21), 2025
Reported by Mr. Moran, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
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,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Lactation Spaces for
Veteran Moms Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. LACTATION SPACES IN MEDICAL CENTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 1720M. Lactation spaces in medical centers of the
Department</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(a) Lactation Space Required.--The Secretary shall
ensure that each medical center of the Department contains a lactation
space.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(c) Lactation Space Defined.--In this section, the term
`lactation space' means a hygienic place, other than a bathroom, that--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) is shielded from view;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) is free from intrusion;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) is accessible to disabled individuals
(including such individuals who use wheelchairs);</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(4) contains a chair and a working
surface;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(5) is easy to locate;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(6) is clearly identified with signage;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(7) is available for use by women veterans and
members of the public to express breast milk.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item
related to section 1720L the following new item:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``1720M. Lactation spaces in medical centers of the
Department.''.
<DELETED> (c) Effective Date.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall carry out section 1720M of title 38, United States Code, as added
by this section, not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act.</DELETED>
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. 1720M. Lactation spaces in medical centers 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 women veterans 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
1720L the following new item:
``1720M. Lactation spaces in medical centers of the Department.''.
(c) Implementation.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure
that--
(1) not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, not fewer than 80 percent of medical
centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs are in compliance
with section 1720M of title 38, United States Code, as added by
subsection (a); and
(2) not later than three years after such date of
enactment, all medical centers of the Department are in
compliance with such section.
(d) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the
progress of the Secretary in meeting the requirements under
section 1720M of title 38, United States Code, as added by
subsection (a), including--
(A) a list of which medical centers of the
Department of Veterans Affairs currently have a
lactation space;
(B) a list of which medical centers of the
Department do not have a lactation space; and
(C) for each medical center listed under
subparagraph (B), a description of actions the
Department has taken to design and plan a lactation
space and a timeline for such lactation space to be
fully functional and open for use within the time
periods specified under subsection (c).
(2) Termination.--The Secretary is not required to submit a
report under paragraph (1) on or after the date on which the
Secretary confirms in a report submitted under such paragraph
that each medical center of the Department contains a lactation
space.
Calendar No. 200
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 778
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require a lactation space in
each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
_______________________________________________________________________
October 22 (legislative day, October 21), 2025
Reported with an amendment