Norton Letter Gets Quick Response from Smithsonian Providing Nursing Employees with Lactation Facilities

Norton to Keep Pushing for Accommodations at Federal Buildings for Visiting Nursing Mothers

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said she was pleased by the quick actions and response by Smithsonian Institution Secretary David Skorton, detailed in a letter written to Norton, in which he described action he has taken to strengthen practices and policies to ensure that employees of the Smithsonian who are nursing mothers "have access to appropriate private places to pump breast milk for their babies" and tasking "all our directors and supervisors to immediately identify…appropriate space for nursing mothers." Earlier this month, Norton wrote to Skorton to express her dismay that Smithsonian employees reported facing major obstacles to pumping breast milk in safe and private spaces and that the Smithsonian lacked dedicated lactation spaces at more than 20 of its facilities, in violation of federal law. In his letter, Skorton said that on October 23, the Smithsonian "adopted a formal policy to support our nursing mother colleagues by providing reasonable breaks during the workday to express milk in private," and have distributed the policy to employees and posted it on their internal website. Norton said she appreciated the Smithsonian's swift actions and will be monitoring the newly implemented policies in the coming months.

"I thank Secretary Skorton for taking immediate action to address this serious situation by ensuring all nursing mothers employed by the Smithsonian have access to the spaces they need to pump breast milk in private," Norton said. "While I appreciate that Smithsonian employees will have improved nursing spaces, I want to work with the Smithsonian, one of the top tourist sites in the District, on spaces for visiting nursing mothers as well. The Smithsonian attracts millions of visitors each year. For years, federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have encouraged breastfeeding. I am working on a bill to require accommodations for nursing mothers who visit federal buildings. However, considering the Smithsonian is probably the top attraction here for families with young children, I hope the Smithsonian will work with me to become a model for other agencies."