119-s778

[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