IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1416 
Expressing support for the designation of the week of August 25, 2024, 
through August 31, 2024, as ‘‘Black Breastfeeding Week’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 27, 2024 
Ms. ADAMS (for herself and Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN) 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, 2024, through August 31, 2024, as ‘‘Black 
Breastfeeding Week’’. 
Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention statistics from 2020 to 2021, Black mothers’ 
breastfeeding initiation rate was 74 percent compared to 
White mothers’ rate of 85 percent; 
Whereas breastfeeding directly impacts the health and 
wellness of infants and the mothers who care for them; 
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 pro-
motional and educational efforts, and the interference of 
breastfeeding with paid employment and other activities; 
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•HRES 1416 IH 
Whereas some Black mothers have also reported lack of a so-
cial support system for continued breastfeeding; 
Whereas, in North Carolina, only 70 percent of Black moth-
ers attempted to breastfeed in 2019 versus 84 percent of 
White mothers and the State average of 81 percent of all 
birthing parents in the State who breastfed during the 
same period; 
Whereas Black babies suffer over a 2 times higher infant 
mortality rate than White babies in North Carolina; 
Whereas low breastfeeding initiation rates directly correlate 
to high infant mortality rates; 
Whereas babies who are breastfed for at least 3 months have 
a 38-percent reduced risk of infant mortality 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 6 months has been attributed to twice as 
many deaths and 3 times as many childhood diseases in 
Black infants as compared to White infants; 
Whereas 1 in 4 mothers in the United States returns to work 
within 2 weeks 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; 
Whereas COVID–19 has tragically exposed the unfortunate 
impact of racial inequities in health for Black commu-
nities; 
Whereas these inequities have led to Black communities being 
disproportionately impacted by the virus, including forced 
separations of mothers and infants after birth when 
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•HRES 1416 IH 
breast milk is the safest and most reliable form of infant 
feeding during an emergency or pandemic; 
Whereas understanding such historical and contemporary ra-
cial inequities is important to address systemic injustices 
preventing families from achieving their breastfeeding po-
tential; 
Whereas, if mothers could meet current medical recommenda-
tions for breastfeeding, it would save the United States 
economy nearly $13,000,000,000 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 com-
munity-led groups in improving family health and reduc-
ing infant mortality rates in Black communities; 
Whereas a week highlighting a unique and targeted approach 
to address the challenges facing Black mothers and fami-
lies is critical to eliminating racial disparities in 
breastfeeding and breast cancer survival; and 
Whereas ‘‘Black Breastfeeding Week’’ was created by Kim-
berly 
Seals 
Allers, 
Kiddada 
Green, 
and 
Anayah 
Sangodele-Ayoka 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: 
Now, therefore, be it 
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•HRES 1416 IH 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog-
nizes— 
(1) that systemic and institutional racism cre-
ates greater barriers for Black women committed to 
meeting breastfeeding guidelines set out by Federal 
public health officials; 
(2) that these barriers contribute to increasing 
health disparities leaving Black mothers and infants 
particularly vulnerable; 
(3) that disproportionate rates of maternal 
mortality and morbidity in the United States and 
the alarmingly high rates of maternal mortality 
among Black women are unacceptable; 
(4) that Congress must fully support and en-
courage policies that ensure Black parents have ac-
cess to affordable health care, allow parents to take 
paid leave after the birth of a child, and ensure that 
breastfeeding mothers have appropriate places to ex-
press breast milk; and 
(5) that, in order to better mitigate the effects 
of systemic and structural racism, Congress must 
work toward ensuring that Black communities 
have— 
(A) adequate housing; 
(B) transportation equity; 
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