Traveling with children has always been a daunting task for parents, but recent legislative changes and innovative financial programs are aiming to ease some of the burdens facing American families. In 2025, two major developments—one addressing the hassles of airport security for parents with infants, the other offering newborns a financial head start—have captured the attention of lawmakers and families alike.
Representative Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat from Colorado, knows firsthand the challenges of traveling with a baby. After giving birth to her son, Sam, in January 2025, Pettersen made the journey between Colorado and Washington, D.C., an astonishing 24 times in just one year. Speaking to Spectrum News, she recounted, “Sam was a part of many historic moments that I look forward to telling him about when he grows up. But, traveling is incredibly stressful when you’re traveling for anybody, but when you’re doing that with kids and with a baby, it is difficult to manage.”
One of the most persistent headaches Pettersen encountered was inconsistent enforcement by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regarding the screening of breast milk and formula. She described several occasions when TSA officers required her to dispose of milk and formula, a situation that left her scrambling to meet her child’s needs while rushing to catch a flight. “Nothing is more stressful than when your baby or your toddler is screaming for food and they’re hungry, and you’re unable to meet their needs and rushing through trying to get to a plane,” she said.
Determined to make a change, Pettersen teamed up with Representatives Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), and Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) to introduce the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act. The bipartisan bill, which enjoyed support from both sides of the aisle—including Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)—was signed into law by President Donald Trump just before Thanksgiving in 2025.
The BABES Enhancement Act mandates that the TSA update its guidelines for screening breast milk, formula, and feeding equipment. It also requires TSA officers to receive training on the new procedures and ensures that parents are informed about their rights at security checkpoints. As Pettersen explained, “This is really just about providing consistency across the United States. It’s already law that formula, milk, that these things are exempt from being poured out. But I can tell you, if you ask any parents who’ve traveled, they have probably encountered these inconsistencies.”
Under current TSA regulations, formula, breast milk, and juice in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) are permitted in carry-on baggage and do not need to fit into a quart-sized bag. However, travelers must remove these items from their bags to be screened separately. Despite these allowances, discrepancies in enforcement have been reported from airport to airport, leaving parents uncertain and anxious.
With the new law in place, the TSA is required to implement the updated procedures within 90 days of the president’s signature—meaning the agency has until the end of February 2026 to comply. A TSA spokesperson told Spectrum News on December 2, 2025, that “TSA supports the BABES Act and will implement screening procedure changes as prescribed in the law. Once the screening protocol changes are ready, TSA will update the general public.”
Swalwell, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, emphasized the importance of the law for traveling families: “With this law now in place, TSA officers will receive the proper training and follow strong, hygienic standards so parents can travel with confidence and babies get the nutrition they need without stress or uncertainty. This is about dignity, peace of mind, and protecting families at one of the most vulnerable moments of parenthood.”
Pettersen acknowledged that, while this legislation represents progress, families continue to face significant challenges. “I recognize that we have so much more work to do to address the needs that families urgently need addressed here. But this is something that I’m proud of that we were able to actually get across the finish line to make sure that parents know that when they show up and go through the security line and go through this process, that their milk and their formula won’t be thrown out, and that TSA agents also have that clarity and training so that they’re not dealing with a really stressful situation.”
While the BABES Act tackles the immediate, practical concerns of traveling parents, another initiative launched in 2025 seeks to secure children’s futures in a very different way. On December 2, 2025, U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Cory Booker—political opposites on most issues—came together to champion the new "Trump Accounts" for babies. In a joint letter, they urged corporate America to get involved in this groundbreaking program, which has already been seeded by Congress with $1,000 for nearly every child born between 2025 and 2028.
The Trump Accounts are designed to function much like retirement savings plans, but for children. Families, friends, and now businesses are encouraged to make additional contributions—up to $5,000 per year—to these private investment accounts. As Cruz and Booker wrote, “By matching contributions for employees’ families, investing in the communities where you operate, or integrating these accounts into your philanthropic strategy, you can significantly enhance the impact of this historic initiative.”
The program has already attracted significant private investment. Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, and his wife’s foundation have pledged $6.25 billion to boost the Trump Accounts for children living in areas where the median household income is $150,000 a year or below. This massive infusion of funds is expected to make a substantial difference for low- and middle-income families.
Senator Booker has long advocated for the concept of “baby bonds,” introducing the American Opportunity Accounts Act in every Congress since 2017. His vision was for the federal government to provide $1,000 to every child, with accounts managed by the U.S. Treasury Department. Senator Cruz, on the other hand, worked on a similar plan called the "Invest America Act," which became the foundation for the Trump Accounts. Unlike college savings programs or traditional retirement accounts, the Trump Accounts offer limited tax benefits—contributions and withdrawals are taxed at standard rates, with the main advantage being deferred taxes on gains and dividends until withdrawal.
At age 18, beneficiaries can choose to continue investing or withdraw the funds to help purchase a home, start a business, or pursue higher education. Cruz described the broader goal of the program on the Texas Take Podcast, saying, “Every child in America will benefit from the miracle of compound growth.” He added, “This provision will create an entire new generation of capitalists. We’ve all seen the surveys that show young people are losing faith in capitalism and think socialism might be a good idea. Now, every child in America will be the owners of the biggest employers in America.”
Both the BABES Enhancement Act and the Trump Accounts reflect a growing bipartisan recognition of the challenges facing American families and the need for practical, forward-thinking solutions. Whether it’s easing the stress of airport travel for parents or giving children a financial leg up, lawmakers and private sector leaders are working together—sometimes across deep ideological divides—to support the next generation.
As these initiatives roll out, families across the country will be watching closely to see if these promises of support translate into real-world improvements in their daily lives and long-term prospects.
