| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 255 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, Members of the Texas Breastfeeding Coalition are |
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| 3 | 3 | | visiting the State Capitol on February 22, 2017; and |
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| 4 | 4 | | WHEREAS, Dedicated to improving breastfeeding rates, the |
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| 5 | 5 | | coalition works to promote a public environment that accepts and |
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| 6 | 6 | | supports mothers in this healthy practice; such medical |
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| 7 | 7 | | authorities as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American |
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| 8 | 8 | | College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the United |
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| 9 | 9 | | States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all strongly |
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| 10 | 10 | | recommend breastfeeding, and the United States surgeon general |
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| 11 | 11 | | has issued a call to action in this regard; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, According to the CDC, breastfeeding is one of the |
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| 13 | 13 | | most effective measures a mother can take to protect the health |
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| 14 | 14 | | of her infant; breastfeeding protects babies from a wide range of |
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| 15 | 15 | | infections and illnesses, and breastfed babies are less likely to |
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| 16 | 16 | | develop asthma; in addition, breastfeeding reduces the risk of |
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| 17 | 17 | | sudden infant death syndrome, and children who are breastfed for |
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| 18 | 18 | | six months are less likely to become obese; mothers who breastfeed |
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| 19 | 19 | | their children also have a decreased risk of breast and ovarian |
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| 20 | 20 | | cancers; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Cost-benefit analyses performed by private |
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| 22 | 22 | | researchers and by the federal government have found that |
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| 23 | 23 | | breastfeeding reduces costs to the nation's health care system |
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| 24 | 24 | | for both acute and chronic illnesses; Texas, with its high rates |
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| 25 | 25 | | of obesity and diabetes, stands to benefit significantly by |
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| 26 | 26 | | encouraging more mothers to breastfeed; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Despite the vital advantages conferred by |
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| 28 | 28 | | breastfeeding, mothers do not always receive the evidence-based, |
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| 29 | 29 | | qualified clinical lactation support they need, and some current |
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| 30 | 30 | | hospital practices make it more difficult to establish successful |
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| 31 | 31 | | breastfeeding; moreover, although the state passed legislation |
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| 32 | 32 | | in 1995 affirming the right of a mother to breastfeed her baby in |
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| 33 | 33 | | any location in which the mother is authorized to be, |
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| 34 | 34 | | breastfeeding mothers continue to face discrimination and often |
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| 35 | 35 | | experience a lack of support at work and in public places; and |
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| 36 | 36 | | WHEREAS, The Texas Breastfeeding Coalition is making a |
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| 37 | 37 | | positive difference in the lives of women and children through |
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| 38 | 38 | | its efforts to educate the public and to improve support for |
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| 39 | 39 | | breastfeeding, and a special day to spotlight its endeavors is |
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| 40 | 40 | | most fitting; now, therefore, be it |
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| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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| 42 | 42 | | Legislature, hereby recognize February 22, 2017, as Texas |
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| 43 | 43 | | Breastfeeding Coalition Legislative Action Day at the State |
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| 44 | 44 | | Capitol and extend to all those participating sincere best |
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| 45 | 45 | | wishes for the future. |
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| 46 | 46 | | Zaffirini |
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| 47 | 47 | | ________________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | President of the Senate |
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| 49 | 49 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 50 | 50 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 51 | 51 | | the Senate on February 21, 2017. |
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| 52 | 52 | | ________________________________ |
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| 53 | 53 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 54 | 54 | | ________________________________ |
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| 55 | 55 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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