[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 98 (Monday, June 9, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H2551-H2552]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BABY CHANGING ON BOARD ACT
Mr. EZELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 248) to require Amtrak to install baby changing tables in
bathrooms on passenger rail cars.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 248
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 ``Baby Changing on Board
Act''.
SEC. 2. INSTALLATION OF BABY CHANGING TABLES ON AMTRAK
TRAINS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 243 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after section 24313 the
following:
``Sec. 24314. Baby changing tables
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) ADA-compliant restroom.--The term `ADA-compliant
restroom' means a restroom
[[Page H2552]]
that complies with the requirements set forth in section
242(a) of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 12162(a)).
``(2) Baby changing table.--The term `baby changing table'
means an elevated, freestanding structure generally designed
to support and retain a child with a body weight of up to 30
pounds in a horizontal position for the purpose of allowing
an individual to change the child's diaper, including pull-
out or drop-down changing surfaces.
``(3) Covered passenger rail train.--The term `covered
passenger rail train'--
``(A) means a passenger rail train that--
``(i) is owned and operated by the National Railroad
Passenger Corporation (commonly known as `Amtrak'); and
``(ii) was solicited for purchase after the date of the
enactment of the Baby Changing on Board Act for use by
Amtrak; and
``(B) does not include any passenger rail train that Amtrak
operates, but does not own.
``(b) Baby Changing Tables.--
``(1) In general.--All covered passenger rail trains shall
have a baby changing table in at least one restroom in each
car, including in an ADA-compliant restroom.
``(2) Signage.--Each restroom described in paragraph (1)
shall clearly indicate with signage the presence of a baby
changing table and such baby changing tables shall be clearly
identified with signage.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The chapter analysis for chapter
243 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 24313 the following:
``24314. Baby changing tables.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Ezell) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.
General Leave
Mr. EZELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
insert extraneous material into the Record on H.R. 248.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Mississippi?
There was no objection.
Mr. EZELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 248, the Baby Changing on Board Act is effective,
bipartisan legislation intended to help parents better care for their
children when traveling.
The bill requires Amtrak to install baby changing tables in all ADA-
accessible restrooms on trains owned by Amtrak. These facilities are
common on other transportation modes, including airlines. They are
likewise necessary on intercity passenger rails.
The bipartisan bill is a long, overdue improvement to Amtrak service.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support the Baby Changing on Board Act.
This bill requires Amtrak to install baby changing stations in
accessible bathrooms on new passenger rail cars and include clear
signage indicating the availability of changing stations. This will
ensure that parents with young children on Amtrak trains can use
accessible, safe, and comfortable changing facilities.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this legislation to create a
safer, cleaner, and more accessible experience for parents and
caregivers traveling with young children. I urge my colleagues to
support the Baby Changing on Board Act, and I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. EZELL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 5 minutes
to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood), the prime sponsor of
the bill.
{time} 1745
Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bipartisan
bill, the Baby Changing on Board Act. This is a simple, commonsense
bill, and it is long overdue.
Every parent deserves the basic dignity of a clean, safe space to
change their baby's diaper, no matter how they travel. Right now, many
long-distance trains can go for hours without a single stop.
Families riding Amtrak shouldn't have to change their babies on the
floor of a train car or in unsafe, unsanitary conditions. It is simply
unacceptable, and it is avoidable.
Mr. Speaker, my bill ensures that every new Amtrak train includes a
baby-changing table in at least one restroom per car, including ADA-
compliant restrooms, because, let's be real, babies don't wait for
layovers when they need to be changed.
Mr. Speaker, I will paint the picture: You are holding your baby in
one arm, a diaper bag in the other, and probably some other stuff, too.
You make your way to the restroom with your kids and your bags, only to
realize there is no changing table. What are you supposed to do?
This is not a hypothetical. Millions of Americans ride Amtrak every
year, so those trains should work for everyone, including families with
young kids. Yet, on many of those trains, parents, usually moms, are
forced to make an impossible choice: change their child on a dirty
floor or seat, or just sit there and hope for the best.
Mr. Speaker, I have heard from families and parents in my northern
Illinois community who rely on Amtrak, and they are tired of getting
stuck in this impossible position on trains that don't have safe
facilities for the littlest riders.
Since this is a safety issue for these children, it is a public
health issue. Frankly, it is about dignity. These parents aren't asking
for luxury. They are asking for a clean, flat surface and some basic
respect.
Mr. Speaker, we all know diaper changes are not optional, which is
why safe baby-changing stations shouldn't be optional, either.
The Baby Changing on Board Act is about building a country where
every family has what they need to thrive. That starts with recognizing
that caregiving matters, parenting matters, and infrastructure should
actually support it.
This bill will not solve every challenge that parents face, but it is
a meaningful step toward a more family-friendly future.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for
their support of this bill. In particular, I thank the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Van Drew) for working to introduce it with me. I urge
everyone in this Chamber to vote ``yes.''
Let's make changing a diaper on a train a little less gross and a lot
more humane.
Mr. EZELL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to
close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support the
Baby Changing on Board Act, and I encourage my colleagues to do the
same. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. EZELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 248 is long overdue. It provides help for American
families traveling with young children. It simply makes sense for
Amtrak to comply with ADA requirements, especially as a recipient of
Federal funding.
I was glad to see the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
favorably report this measure, and I look forward to the House doing
so, as well.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Ezell) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 248.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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