Key points

• The Department of Transportation announced a new $1 billion grant program for airports.
• Grants are intended for family- and health-friendly improvements in airport terminals.
• Suggested upgrades include better nursing facilities, more family security lanes and exercise equipment.

The Department of Transportation announced a new grant program that will open a pot of $1 billion to airports that want to make family- and health-friendly improvements.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said during a Dec. 8 press conference that he was leaving the guidelines intentionally vague, but he suggested airports could get funding for things like making improvements to nursing facilities for breastfeeding mothers, expanding family lanes at security checkpoints or installing exercise equipment in terminals.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was on hand for the press conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, as were two social media influencers and an executive from Farmer’s Fridge, a healthy food vending machine.

“This is not about mandates. This is not about requirements. This is a conversation about: Could we offer healthier options? Could we support to nursing mothers? How can we make the experience as we all travel together just a little bit better?” Duffy told reporters. “It’s important for us to recognize that we’re all in this together.”

He added that he reached out to the CEOs of most major U.S. airlines to encourage them to offer healthier food and beverage options onboard.

After taking questions, Duffy, Kennedy and Paul Saladino, one of the influencers who was encouraging U.S. travelers to be more active by stretching or doing squats while at the airport, moved to begin doing pull-ups on bars that had been installed for the press conference.