New TSA Rules Mandate Hygienic Screening for Breast Milk and Formula, Require IG Audit Within a Year

If you’ve ever flown with a baby, you know the TSA security line can be a nightmare, especially when you’re dealing with the extra screening required for breast milk or formula. This proposed legislation, the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act, aims to clean up that process—literally.

The 90-Day Clean-Up Mandate

This bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator to issue or update guidance within 90 days of enactment. The goal? To reduce the risk of contamination for essential infant liquids—specifically breast milk, baby formula, purified deionized water for infants, and juice that requires extra screening. This isn't just about common sense; it mandates that the TSA consult with “nationally recognized maternal health organizations” to develop these new “hygienic standards.” This means the procedures won’t just be decided by security experts, but will incorporate input from people who understand infant health and nutrition.

For traveling parents, this provision is huge. It means that when a TSA agent needs to conduct additional screening—like opening a container or using a testing swab—they must follow a set of procedures designed specifically to minimize contamination risk. The bill makes it clear that if any additional testing is required during re-screening, that testing must adhere to these new, stricter standards. This applies not only to TSA personnel but also to private security companies operating under contract with the agency, ensuring consistency across the board.

Accountability Check: The Inspector General Audit

What good are new rules if no one checks if they’re being followed? This is where the bill adds a crucial layer of accountability. Not later than one year after enactment, the Inspector General (IG) of the Department of Homeland Security must audit the compliance of the TSA and its contractors with these new hygienic requirements.

Crucially, this audit must also look at how different screening technologies, like bottled liquid scanners, affect the screening of these liquids. The IG will report back to Congress, detailing how well the new procedures are being implemented and, perhaps most importantly for busy parents, the rate at which these essential items are currently being denied entry into the secure area of the airport. This mandated audit provides a mechanism to ensure the guidance isn't just a paper exercise, but actually translates into safer, cleaner procedures on the ground. The bill also requires the guidance to be reviewed and updated every five years, if needed, though that 'if needed' clause does leave some wiggle room for the agency to skip updates if they deem it unnecessary.