WASHINGTON — Colorado Rep. Brittany Pettersen is marking progress after two bills she co-sponsored with bipartisan support were signed by President Trump on Monday, during one of the most gridlocked Congresses in history.
Pettersen, a Democrat representing Colorado's 7th congressional district, co-sponsored the BABES Act and the SUPPORT ACT, which became law on December 1.
“There are so many of us who are rolling up our sleeves every day to try to find common ground and to get things done,” Pettersen said. “We're going to keep working to come together to solve the issues that people are facing every day.”
The Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement, or BABES Act, sets clear federal guidelines so that breastmilk and formula aren’t mishandled or thrown out by TSA at the airport.
Pettersen is a mother of two, whose youngest took 24 flights before he was 6 months old as she traveled back and forth between her district and Washington, D.C.
“Far too many TSA agents have not been trained on that, so we're going to bring consistency across the board so parents can at least show up relieved knowing that they're going to be able to feed their babies when they're hungry,” she said.
The Support for Patients and Communities Act reauthorized funding for substance-use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery programs while expanding access to naloxone, an opioid overdose medication.
The SUPPORT Act will provide hundreds of millions in funding, but it comes at the same time the Trump administration is dismantling the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the agency responsible for overseeing addiction and treatment programs.
“I don't want to give false hope. This is a band-aid right now for something that is going to completely fall apart because of the big, ugly bill that they passed. I'm very proud to dedicate these dollars, and we'll continue to fight for those who are struggling,” Pettersen said.
