,,iv  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #ffb  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,augu/ #bf1 #bjbe,ms4 
,adams 7= h]self & ,mrs4 ,watson        
,coleman7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy &
 ,comm]ce  ,,resolution  ,express+      
support = ! designation ( ! week (      
,augu/ #be ?r\gh ,augu/ #ca1 #bjbe1 z   
,black ,brea/fe$+ ,week4  ,:]eas1       
accord+ to ! ,c5t]s = ,disease ,control 
& ,prev5tion /ati/ics f #bjbj to #bjba1 
,black mo!rs' brea/fe$+ initiation rate 
0 #gd p]c5t comp>$ to ,:ite mo!rs' rate 
( #he p]c5t2 ,:]eas brea/fe$+ directly  
impacts ! heal? & wellness ( infants & !
 mo!rs :o c>e = !m2 ,:]eas ,black mo!rs 
h report$ great] b>ri]s to brea/fe$+    
comp>$ to _! c\nt]p>ts1 includ+ pa9 or  
discom=t :ile brea/fe$+1 conc]ns ab\t   
brea/fe$+ 9 public1 insuffici5t         
availability ( promotional & educational
 ef=ts1 & ! int]f]5ce ( brea/fe$+ ) paid
 employm5t & o!r activities2 ,:]eas "s  
,black mo!rs h also report$ lack ( a    

social support sy/em = cont9u$          
brea/fe$+2 ,:]eas 9 ,nor? ,c>ol9a1 only 
#gj p]c5t ( ,black mo!rs attempt$ to    
brea/fe$ 9 #bjai v]sus #hd p]c5t ( ,:ite
 mo!rs & /ate av]age ( #ha p]c5t ( all  
bir?+ p>5ts 9 ! /ate :o brea/f$ dur+ !  
same p]iod2 ,:]eas ,black babies suff]  
ov] a #c times high] infant mortality   
rates ?an ,:ite babies 9 ,nor? ,c>ol9a2 
,:]eas l[ brea/fe$+ initiation rates    
directly correlate to high infant       
mortality rates2 ,:]eas babies :o are   
brea/f$ = at lea/ #c mon?s h a #ch-p]c5t
 r$uc$ risk ( infant mortality annually 
across ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas ,black   
*ildr5 are at a great] risk = *ildhood  
disease1 & ! inability to exclusively   
brea/fe$ = ! recomm5d$ #f mon?s has be5 
attribut$ to twice z _m dea?s & #c times
 z _m *ildhood diseases 9 ,black infants
 z comp>$ to ,:ite infants2 ,:]eas #a 9 
#d mo!rs 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates return to "w 
)9 two weeks ( giv+ bir?2 ,:]eas #fj    
p]c5t ( work+ mo!rs 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates :o
 are brea/fe$+ express brea/ milk 9     

inadequate & unsanit>y places on ! job2 
,:]eas und]/&+ hi/orical & contempor>y  
racial inequities is important to       
address sy/emic inju/ices prev5t+       
families f a*iev+ _! brea/fe$+ pot5tial2
 ,:]eas if mo!rs c\ld meet curr5t m$ical
 recomm5dations = brea/fe$+1 x w\ld save
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates economy ne>ly          
#ac1jjj1jjj1jjj p] ye> 9 p$iatric heal? 
co/s & premature dea?s2 ,:]eas ,black   
,brea/fe$+ ,week is an opportunity to   
raise aw>5ess ab\t ! mat]nal *ild heal? 
crisis 9 ,black communities & !         
important role t brea/fe$+ plays 9      
improv+ mat]nal & infant heal? outcomes2
 ,:]eas ?is week is d$icat$ to increas+ 
aw>5ess ( ! critical role ( brea/fe$+ & 
! "w ( ,black community-l$ gr\ps 9      
improv+ family heal? & r$uc+ infant     
mortality rates 9 ,black communities2   
,:]eas a week highlight+ a unique &     
t>get$ approa* to address ! *all5ges    
fac+ ,black mo!rs & families is critical
 to elim9at+ racial disp>ities 9        
brea/fe$+ & brea/ canc] survival2 &     

,:]eas ,black ,brea/fe$+ ,week 0 creat$ 
by ,kimb]ly ,seals ,all]s1 ,kiddada     
,gre51 & ,anayah ,sangodele-,ayoka to   
br+ national att5tion to ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 mat]nal *ild heal? crisis 9 ! ,black   
community & ! important role t brea/fe$+
 plays 9 improv+ mat]nal & infant heal? 
outcomes3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,h\se ( 
,repres5tatives recognizes-- 7#a7 t     
sy/emic & in/itutional racism creates   
great] b>ri]s = ,black wom5 committ$ to 
meet+ brea/fe$+ guidel9es set out by    
,f$]al public heal? (ficials2  7#b7 t ^!
 b>ri]s contribute to increas+ heal?    
disp>ities leav+ ,black mo!rs & infants 
p>ticul>ly vuln]able2  7#c7 t           
disproportionate rates ( mat]nal        
mortality & morbidity 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
& ! al>m+ly high rates ( mat]nal        
mortality among ,black wom5 are         
unacceptable2  7#d7 t ,congress mu/     
fully support & enc\rage policies t     
ensure ,black p>5ts h access to af=dable
 heal? c>e1 all[ p>5ts to take paid     
leave aft] ! bir? ( a *ild1 & ensure t  

brea/fe$+ mo!rs h appropriate places to 
express brea/ milk2 &  7#e7 t1 9 ord] to
 bett] mitigate ! effects ( sy/emic &   
/ructural racism1 ,congress mu/ "w t[>d 
ensur+ t ,black communities h-- 7,a7    
adequate h\s+2  7,b7 transportation     
equity2  7,c7 nutriti\s food2  7,d7     
clean wat]2  7,e7 environm5ts free f    
tox9s2  7,f7 fair treatm5t )9 ! crim9al 
ju/ice sy/em2  7,g7 safety & fre$om f   
viol5ce2  7,h7 a liv+ wage2  7,i7 equal 
economic opportunity2 &  7,j7           
compreh5sive1 quality1 & af=dable heal? 
c>e4