,,iii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #bii  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #ca1
 #bjai ,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself1 ,ms4 
,duckworth1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4      
,markey1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4
 ,cardin1 and ,mr4 ,coons7 submitted the
 following resolution2 which was        
referred to the ,committee on the       
,judiciary  ,,resolution  ,designating  
the first week in ,august #bjai as      
,world ,breastfeeding ,week1 and        
designating ,august #bjai as ,national  
,breastfeeding ,month4  ,whereas the    
,american ,academy of ,pediatrics       
recommends that a baby be fed           
exclusively through breastfeeding for   
about the first #f months after the     
birth of the baby1 followed by continued
 breastfeeding as complementary foods   
are introduced1 with continuation of    
breastfeeding for #a year or longer as  
mutually desired by the mother and      
infant2 ,whereas the ,world ,alliance   
for ,breastfeeding ,action has          

designated the first week of ,august as 
,world ,breastfeeding ,week1 and the    
,united ,states ,breastfeeding          
,committee has designated ,august as    
,national ,breastfeeding ,month2        
,whereas ,national ,breastfeeding ,month
 focuses on how data and measurement can
 be used to build and reinforce the     
connections between breastfeeding and a 
broad spectrum of other health topics   
and initiatives2 ,whereas ,world        
,breastfeeding ,week and ,national      
,breastfeeding ,month provide important 
opportunities to address barriers to    
breastfeeding faced by families across  
the ,united ,states and around the      
world2 ,whereas1 according to the #bjaf 
,breastfeeding ,report ,card of the     
,centers for ,disease ,control and      
,prevention1 #ha4a percent of mothers in
 the ,united ,states1 or about #d out of
 every #e mothers in the ,united        
,states1 start breastfeeding their      
babies at the birth of their baby2      
,whereas by the end of #f months after  

the birth of a baby1 breastfeeding rates
 for mothers in the ,united ,states fall
 to #ea4h percent1 and only #bb4c       
percent of babies in the ,united ,states
 are exclusively breastfed at #f months 
of age2 ,whereas #b of every #c mothers 
report that they are unable to reach    
their personal breastfeeding goals2     
,whereas there are substantial racial   
and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding 
initiation and duration2 ,whereas1 in   
#bjad1 #he4g percent of non-,hispanic   
,white infants were breastfed1 as       
compared to--  7#a7 #fh4j percent of    
non-,hispanic ,black infants2 and  7#b7 
#gi4e percent of non-,hispanic ,american
 ,indian and ,alaska ,native infants2   
,whereas the ,healthy ,people #bjbj     
objectives for breastfeeding are that-- 
7#a7 #hb percent of babies are breastfed
 at some time2  7#b7 #fa percent of     
babies continue to be breastfed at #f   
months2 and  7#c7 #cd percent of babies 
continue to be breastfed at #a year2    
,whereas breastfeeding is a proven      

primary prevention strategy that builds 
a foundation for life-long health and   
wellness2 ,whereas the evidence of the  
value of breastfeeding to the health of 
women and children is scientific1 solid1
 and continually reaffirmed by new      
research2 ,whereas a #bjaf study of     
maternal and pediatric health outcomes  
and associated costs based on #bjab     
breastfeeding rates indicates that if   
#ij percent of infants were breastfed   
according to medical recommendations1   
#c1cdj deaths1 #c1jjj1jjj1jjj in medical
 costs1 and #ad1bjj1jjj1jjj in costs    
relating to premature death would be    
prevented annually2 ,whereas the great  
majority of pregnant women and new      
mothers want to breastfeed but face     
significant barriers in community1      
health care1 and employment settings2   
and ,whereas a #bjaf study found that   
universal breastfeeding-- 7#a7 could    
prevent #hjj1jjj child deaths per year  
across the world2 and  7#b7 is an       
invaluable tool for mothers to provide  

essential nutrients to protect newborns 
against infectious diseases in          
developing countries3 ,now1 therefore1  
be it  ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7         
designates the first week of ,august    
#bjai as ,world ,breastfeeding ,week2   
7#b7 designates ,august #bjai as        
,national ,breastfeeding ,month2  7#c7  
supports the goals of ,world            
,breastfeeding ,week and ,national      
,breastfeeding ,month2 and  7#d7        
supports policies and funding to ensure 
that all mothers who choose to          
breastfeed can access a full range of   
appropriate support from child care and 
health care institutions1 health care   
insurers1 employers1 researchers1 and   
government entities4