IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1096 

Expressing support for the designation of the week of August 25 through 

August 31, 2020, as ‘‘Black Breastfeeding Week’’ to bring national 

attention to the United States maternal child health crisis in the Black 

community and the important role that breastfeeding plays in improving 

maternal and infant health outcomes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 

Ms. ADAMS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of the week of August 

25 through August 31, 2020, as ‘‘Black Breastfeeding 

Week’’ to bring national attention to the United States 

maternal child health crisis in the Black community and 

the important role that breastfeeding plays in improving 

maternal and infant health outcomes. 

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 2017 statistics, Black mothers’ breastfeeding 

initiation rate was 74 percent compared to White mothers’ rate of 87 percent; 

Whereas breastfeeding directly impacts the health and 

wellness of infants and the mothers who care for them; 


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•HRES 1096 IH 

Whereas Black mothers have reported greater barriers to 

breastfeeding compared to their counterparts, including 

pain or discomfort while breastfeeding, concerns about 

breastfeeding in public, insufficient availability of promotional and educational efforts, and the interference of 

breastfeeding with paid employment and other activities; 

Whereas some Black mothers have also reported lack of a social support system for continued breastfeeding; 

Whereas, in North Carolina, only 66 percent of Black mothers breastfed in 2013, 2014, and 2015 versus 80 percent 

of White mothers who breastfed during the same period; 

Whereas low breastfeeding initiation rates directly correlate 

to high infant mortality rates; 

Whereas Black babies have two times higher infant mortality 

rates than White babies in North Carolina; 

Whereas babies who are exclusively breastfed for 6 months 

and continue on through the first year could prevent 

2,268 maternal deaths and 626 infant deaths annually 

across the United States; 

Whereas Black children are at a greater risk for childhood 

disease, and the inability to exclusively breastfeed for the 

recommended six months has been attributed to twice as 

many deaths and three times as many childhood diseases 

in Black infants as compared to White infants; 

Whereas one in four mothers in the United States return to 

work within ten days of giving birth; 

Whereas 60 percent of working mothers in the United States 

who are breastfeeding express breast milk in inadequate 

and unsanitary places on the job; 


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•HRES 1096 IH 

Whereas COVID–19 has tragically exposed the unfortunate 

impact of racial inequities in health for Black communities; 

Whereas these inequities have led to Black communities being 

disproportionately impacted by the virus, including forced 

separations of mothers and infants after birth when 

breast milk is the safest and most reliable form of infant 

feeding during an emergency or pandemic; 

Whereas understanding such historical and contemporary racial inequities is important to address systemic injustices 

preventing families from achieving their breastfeeding potential; 

Whereas, if mothers could meet current medical recommendations for breastfeeding, it would save the United States 

economy nearly $13 billion per year in pediatric health 

costs and premature deaths; 

Whereas Black Breastfeeding Week is an opportunity to raise 

awareness about the maternal child health crisis in Black 

communities and the important role that breastfeeding 

plays in improving maternal and infant health outcomes; 

Whereas this week is dedicated to increasing awareness of the 

critical role of breastfeeding and the work of Black community-led groups in improving family health and reducing infant mortality rates in Black communities; and 

Whereas a week highlighting a unique and targeted approach 

to address the challenges facing Black mothers and families is critical to eliminating racial disparities in 

breastfeeding and breast cancer survival: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representative recog2 nizes— 


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1 (1) that systemic and institutional racism cre2 ates greater barriers for Black women committed to 

3 meeting breastfeeding guidelines set out by Federal 

4 public health officials; 

5 (2) that these barriers contribute to increasing 

6 health disparities leaving Black mothers and infants 

7 particularly vulnerable; 

8 (3) that disproportionate rates of maternal 

9 mortality and morbidity in the United States and 

10 the alarmingly high rates of maternal mortality 

11 among Black women are unacceptable; 

12 (4) that Congress must fully support and en13 courage policies that ensure Black parents have ac14 cess to affordable health care, allow parents to take 

15 paid leave after the birth of a child, and ensure that 

16 breastfeeding mothers have appropriate places to ex17 press breast milk; and 

18 (5) that, in order to better mitigate the effects 

19 of systemic and structural racism, Congress must 

20 work toward ensuring that Black communities 

21 have— 

22 (A) adequate housing; 

23 (B) transportation equity; 

24 (C) nutritious food; 

25 (D) clean water; 


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1 (E) environments free from toxins; 

2 (F) fair treatment within the criminal jus3 tice system; 

4 (G) safety and freedom from violence; 

5 (H) a living wage; 

6 (I) equal economic opportunity; and 

7 (J) comprehensive, quality, and affordable 

8 health care. 

Æ 


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