[House Report 119-197]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 119-197
======================================================================
BOTTLES AND BREASTFEEDING EQUIPMENT SCREENING ENHANCEMENT ACT
_______
July 10, 2025.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Green of Tennessee, from the Committee on Homeland Security,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 820]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Homeland Security, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 820) 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, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon
without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 2
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 3
Committee Consideration.......................................... 3
Committee Votes.................................................. 3
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 3
C.B.O. Estimate, New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and
Tax Expenditures............................................... 3
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 4
Duplicative Federal Programs..................................... 5
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 5
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits....................................................... 5
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 5
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 5
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 6
Purpose and Summary
H.R. 820, the ``Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment
Screening Enhancement Act,'' amends existing law to improve the
hygienic handling of breast milk, baby formula, and related
feeding items during aviation security screening conducted by
the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and authorized
private screeners. The bill requires the TSA Administrator to
issue or update guidance within 90 days of enactment, and at
least once every five years thereafter.
The legislation further directs the Department of Homeland
Security's (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) to conduct a
one-time audit, within one year of enactment, to assess TSA's
compliance with the updated hygienic screening standards. This
audit must also evaluate the impact of screening technologies
such as bottled liquid scanners and provide data on the denial
rate of covered items at airport checkpoints. The bill builds
on the original ``Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening
Act'' and aims to improve the experience of traveling families
without compromising aviation security.
Background and Need for Legislation
Families traveling through the United States' commercial
aviation system frequently encounter confusion, inconsistent
screening procedures, and even health risks when carrying
breast milk, formula, juice, or cooling accessories for infants
and young children. Despite TSA guidance exempting these items
from general liquid restrictions, numerous reports have
surfaced of parents being told to discard expressed breast
milk, submit to unsanitary screenings, or relinquish essential
feeding supplies. Such practices not only cause emotional
distress but can jeopardize the health and nutrition of infants
during travel.
Parents have reported that TSA officers and contract
screeners often lack adequate training in how to properly
inspect medically necessary liquids and related equipment, such
as bottles, ice packs, and breast pumps. In some cases,
improper handling has introduced contamination risks or
resulted in parents being separated from vital supplies.
Inconsistent application of policies at different airports, and
across various personnel, has contributed to public confusion
and undermined trust in TSA procedures.
The TSA has taken some steps to improve the situation by
issuing guidance and training materials. However, given the
continued occurrence of problematic incidents, more durable and
enforceable solutions are needed. H.R. 820 seeks to codify
hygiene-focused standards and require systematic updates to
screening procedures that reflect best practices in maternal
and infant health.
Additionally, the bill introduces an important oversight
component by requiring the DHS Inspector General to evaluate
both TSA's adherence to the updated protocols and the role that
screening technologies play in the treatment of these items.
This requirement ensures accountability and transparency,
helping Congress assess whether policies are applied
consistently and humanely across airports and screening
environments. In striking a balance between aviation security
and public health, H.R. 820 represents a necessary update to
the Federal government's handling of a deeply personal and
sensitive issue for millions of families.
Hearings
The Committee has not held a hearing that guided the
development of this legislation in the 119th Congress. However,
the bill reflects concerns raised through constituent outreach,
stakeholder engagement, and oversight activities relating to
TSA screening practices and the treatment of medically
necessary liquids and infant feeding equipment at airport
security checkpoints. The Committee's ongoing review of
aviation security policy and passenger experience informed the
development and consideration of this legislation.
Committee Consideration
The Committee met on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, a quorum
being present, to consider H.R. 820 and ordered the measure to
be favorably reported to the House by voice vote.
Committee Votes
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII requires the Committee to list the
recorded votes on the motion to report legislation and
amendments thereto.
No recorded votes were requested during consideration of
H.R. 820.
Committee Oversight Findings
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII, the
Committee advises that the findings and recommendations of the
Committee, based on oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1)
of rule X, are incorporated in the descriptive portions of this
report.
Congressional Budget Office Estimate, New Budget Authority, Entitlement
Authority, and Tax Expenditures
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule
XIII and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, and with respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(3) of
rule XIII and section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Committee adopts as its own the estimate of any new
budget authority, spending authority, credit authority, or an
increase or decrease in revenues or tax expenditures contained
in the cost estimate prepared by the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office.
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 820 would require the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) to issue or update guidance to minimize
the risk of contaminating breastmilk, baby formula, and related
accessories during the passenger screening process at airports.
The bill also would require the Inspector General of the
Department of Homeland Security to audit that guidance.
According to information from the agency, TSA regularly
updates its guidance for screening breastmilk and related items
under current law. On that basis, CBO estimates that
implementing that provision would not significantly affect the
federal budget. Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO
estimates that conducting the audit would cost less than
$500,000 over the 2025-2030 period; any related spending would
be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
On February 13, 2025, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for
S. 260, the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening
Enhancement Act, as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation on February 5, 2025. The
two pieces of legislation are similar, and CBO's estimates of
their budgetary effects are the same.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Aaron Krupkin.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
Federal Mandates Statement
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act of 1995.
Duplicative Federal Programs
Pursuant to clause 3(c) of rule XIII, the Committee finds
that H.R. 820 does not contain any provision that establishes
or reauthorizes a program known to be duplicative of another
Federal program.
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the objective of
H.R. 820 is to amend the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment
Screening Enhancement Act by requiring the TSA Administrator to
revise the guidance on handling medically necessary liquids,
such as formula or breast milk, with the goal of minimizing the
risk of contamination.
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits
In compliance with rule XXI, this bill, as reported,
contains no congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or
limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or
9(f) of rule XXI.
Advisory Committee Statement
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
legislation.
Applicability to the Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that H.R. 820 does not relate to the
terms and conditions of employment or access to public services
or accommodation within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the
Congressional Accountability Act.
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation
Section 1. Short title
This section provides the short title of the legislation as
the ``Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement
Act.''
Section 2. Hygienic handling of breast milk and baby formula during
aviation security screening
This section amends the ``Bottles and Breastfeeding
Equipment Screening Act'' (Public Law 114-293) by adding two
new sections.
Section 3. Hygienic handling of breast milk and baby formula during
aviation screening
This new section requires the TSA Administrator to issue or
update screening guidance within 90 days of enactment, and
every five years thereafter, to ensure the hygienic handling of
breast milk, infant formula, purified deionized water, juice,
and associated cooling accessories such as ice packs and gel
packs. The guidance must be developed in consultation with
nationally recognized maternal health organizations and applies
to TSA personnel and any private security screeners operating
under TSA's authority. The guidance must include standards for
minimizing contamination during initial screening and any
necessary re-screening or additional testing.
Section 4. Inspector General audit
This new section directs the Inspector General of the
Department of Homeland Security to conduct an audit within one
year of enactment to assess compliance with the updated
hygienic standards. The audit must also evaluate the effects of
various screening technologies, including bottled liquid
scanners, on the treatment of covered items. Additionally, the
audit must include data on the rate at which breast milk,
formula, juice, and cooling accessories are denied entry into
sterile areas of airports, as defined by TSA regulations (in
section 1540.5 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations). The
results of the audit must be submitted to the House Committee
on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is
printed in italics and existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
BOTTLES AND BREASTFEEDING EQUIPMENT SCREENING ACT
* * * * * * *
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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