Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. GARBARINO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 260) to amend the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act to require hygienic handling of breast milk and baby formula by security screening personnel of the Transportation Security Administration and personnel of private security companies providing security screening, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 260

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act''. SEC. 2. HYGIENIC HANDLING OF BREAST MILK AND BABY FORMULA DURING AVIATION SECURITY SCREENING.

The Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act (Public Law 114-293) is amended by adding at the end the following new sections: ``SEC. 3. HYGIENIC HANDLING OF BREAST MILK AND BABY FORMULA DURING AVIATION SECURITY SCREENING.

``Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section and every five years thereafter, if appropriate, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall issue or update, as the case may be, guidance to minimize the risk for contamination of any breast milk, baby formula, purified deionized water for infants, and juice (as well as ice packs, freezer packs, frozen gel packs and other accessories required to cool breast milk, baby formula, and juice) that is subject to re-screening or otherwise subject to additional screening. Such guidance shall--

``(1) be developed in consultation with nationally recognized maternal health organizations;

``(2) ensure adherence to hygienic standards, as established by the Administrator, in consultation with nationally recognized maternal health organizations;

``(3) ensure that, when any such re-screening or additional screening requires additional testing, such testing so adheres to such standards, to so minimize such risk; and

``(4) apply to security screening personnel of the Administration and personnel of private security companies providing security screening pursuant to section 44920 of title 49, United States Code. ``SEC. 4. INSPECTOR GENERAL AUDIT.

``Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report containing an audit of compliance with the requirements of sections 2 and 3. Such audit shall also include information relating to the effect of various types of screening technologies, including bottled liquid scanners, on the screening of breast milk, baby formula, purified deionized water for infants, and juice (as well as ice packs, freezer packs, frozen gel packs and other accessories required to cool breast milk, baby formula, and juice) that is subject to re-screening or otherwise subject to additional screening, and the rate at which such items are denied entry into the sterile area (as such term is defined in section 1540.5 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations).''.

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Mr. GARBARINO. 260.

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Mr. GARBARINO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 260, the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act.

This legislation will require the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration to update guidance related to screening of infant feeding materials. It will make the airport experience more bearable for traveling families. I thank my Democratic colleague, Mr. Swalwell, for leading the House version of this legislation, H.R. 820, through the committee earlier this year.
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Mr. GARBARINO. Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers and am prepared to close after the gentleman from Puerto Rico closes. I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. GARBARINO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I congratulate my colleague (Mr. Swalwell) on this bill. I am happy to support it. I am very pro-family and pro-parent, and I urge my colleagues to support S. 260.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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