[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 260 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>
                                                       Calendar No. 379
116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 260

  Recognizing the importance of sustained United States leadership to 
 accelerating global progress against maternal and child malnutrition 
     and supporting the commitment of the United States Agency for 
    International Development to global nutrition through the Multi-
                      Sectoral Nutrition Strategy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 24, 2019

  Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Young, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Casey, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Reed, Mr. 
Cramer, Ms. Warren, Mr. Moran, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Brown, Mr. 
  Gardner, Mr. Markey, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. 
  Cardin, Ms. Smith, Mr. Wyden, Mr. King, Mr. Jones, Mr. Merkley, Ms. 
  Klobuchar, Mr. Peters, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Wicker, Mrs. 
   Feinstein, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. 
Hawley, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Braun, Mr. Warner, and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Foreign Relations

                           December 18, 2019

   Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment and an amendment to the 
                 preamble and an amendment to the title
[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
      [Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the importance of sustained United States leadership to 
 accelerating global progress against maternal and child malnutrition 
     and supporting the commitment of the United States Agency for 
    International Development to global nutrition through the Multi-
                      Sectoral Nutrition Strategy.

Whereas, of all children under 5 years of age worldwide--

    (1) 149,000,000, or 21.9 percent, are stunted or chronically 
undernourished;

    (2) an estimated 7.3 percent, or nearly 49,000,000, experience life-
threatening acute malnutrition (also known as ``wasting''); and

    (3) more than 40,000,000 are overweight;

Whereas, in countries highly affected by undernutrition, stunting affects 1 in 
        every 3 children;
Whereas malnutrition directly or indirectly causes 45 percent of all deaths of 
        children under 5 years of age, a total of 2,600,000 deaths annually;
Whereas children who experience malnutrition--

    (1) may experience impaired brain development, lower IQ, and weakened 
immune systems; and

    (2) are at a greater risk of contracting serious diseases;

Whereas undernourished adolescent girls have impaired cognitive ability and 
        productivity, and the future children of those girls are at increased 
        risk for low birth weight and death;
Whereas iron deficiency anemia, associated with undernutrition, contributes to 1 
        in 5 maternal deaths, or 20 percent of maternal mortality;
Whereas poor maternal nutrition contributes to poor fetal development and low 
        birth weight, and an estimated 60 to 80 percent of neonatal deaths occur 
        in low-birth-weight babies;
Whereas a large body of scientific evidence supports the benefits of improved 
        breastfeeding practices on the short-term and long-term health and 
        development of children and their mothers;
Whereas a growing body of evidence indicates that reducing maternal and child 
        malnutrition, especially in the critical 1,000-day period between the 
        beginning of pregnancy and the second birthday of the child, is 
        imperative to--

    (1) ending preventable child and maternal deaths;

    (2) improving cognitive and physical development; and

    (3) strengthening the immune systems of children to bolster resistance 
to disease;

Whereas leading economists and Nobel Laureates have identified improving child 
        nutrition as the most cost-effective way to improve global health 
        outcomes and enhance development;
Whereas the approach of the Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy of the United 
        States Agency for International Development addresses the direct and 
        underlying causes of malnutrition;
Whereas the focus of the Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy on linking 
        humanitarian assistance with development programming helps build 
        resilience to shocks in vulnerable communities;
Whereas malnutrition is a universal issue that no country can afford to 
        overlook;
Whereas countries with populations that experience high burdens of malnutrition, 
        including stunting, wasting, anemia, and micronutrient deficiency, will 
        struggle to achieve sustainable and equitable economic growth;
Whereas the United States plays a leading role supporting the goals of Scaling 
        Up Nutrition, a global movement of 60 countries to prioritize nutrition 
        through effective policy and dedicated national resources, particularly 
        during the 1,000-day window of opportunity between the beginning of 
        pregnancy and the second birthday of the child; and
Whereas, although the world has reduced undernutrition since 1990, global 
        progress has been too slow--

    (1) to ensure that each child can attain a full and prosperous future 
regardless of where that child was born; and

    (2) for the global community to reach the global nutrition targets set 
for 2025: Now, therefore, be it

Whereas of all children under 5 worldwide--

    (1) 149,000,000, or 21.9 percent, are stunted or chronically 
undernourished;

    (2) an estimated 7.3 percent, or nearly 49,000,000, experience life-
threatening acute malnutrition (also known as ``wasting''); and

    (3) more than 40,000,000 are overweight;

Whereas, in countries highly affected by undernutrition, stunting affects 1 in 
        every 3 children;
Whereas malnutrition directly or indirectly causes 45 percent of all deaths of 
        children under 5 years of age, a total of 2,600,000 deaths annually;
Whereas undernourished adolescent girls often suffer impaired cognitive ability 
        and productivity, and the future children of those girls are at 
        increased risk for low birth weight and death;
Whereas iron deficiency anemia, associated with undernutrition, contributes to 1 
        in 5 maternal deaths, or 20 percent of maternal mortality;
Whereas poor maternal nutrition contributes to poor fetal development and low 
        birth weight, and an estimated 60 to 80 percent of neonatal deaths occur 
        in low-birth-weight babies;
Whereas a large body of evidence supports the benefits of improved breastfeeding 
        practices on the short-term and long-term health and development of 
        children and their mothers;
Whereas a growing body of evidence indicates that reducing maternal and child 
        malnutrition, especially in the critical 1,000-day period between the 
        beginning of pregnancy and the second birthday of the child, is 
        imperative to--

    (1) ending preventable child and maternal deaths;

    (2) improving IQ, and physical, brain and cognitive development; and

    (3) strengthening the immune systems of children;

Whereas combatting malnutrition is an economic issue, as well as a global health 
        issue, that is central to reducing poverty and putting communities on a 
        path toward greater self-reliance and economic growth;
Whereas research indicates that--

    (1) adults who were well nourished as children earn up to 46 percent 
more than adults who were malnourished as children;

    (2) countries with a very high burden of early malnutrition have lower 
economic growth rates resulting from lost income and productivity; and

    (3) the cost of child malnutrition is substantial, with estimated 
losses in Gross Domestic Product of 3 to 16 percent and potential impacts 
to the global economy as high as $3,500,000,000 per year;

Whereas leading economists and Nobel Laureates have identified improving child 
        nutrition as the most cost-effective way to improve global health 
        outcomes and enhance development;
Whereas the Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy of the United States Agency for 
        International Development (USAID) recognizes that it is in the national 
        interest of the United States to help developing countries reduce 
        malnutrition by addressing the direct and underlying causes of 
        malnutrition;
Whereas the linkage between humanitarian assistance and development programming 
        under the USAID Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy helps build resilience 
        to shocks and stresses in vulnerable communities, promotes greater self-
        reliance, and is essential to reducing long-term reliance upon other 
        forms of United States foreign assistance;
Whereas, in addition to providing bilateral support, the United States plays a 
        leading role in supporting the goals of Scaling Up Nutrition, a global 
        movement of 60 countries to prioritize nutrition through effective 
        policy and dedicated national resources, particularly during the 1,000-
        day window of opportunity between the beginning of pregnancy and the 
        second birthday of the child; and
Whereas, despite the significant progress in reducing undernutrition since 1990, 
        global progress has been too slow--

    (1) to ensure that undernutrition no longer inhibits a child's ability 
to attain a full and prosperous future; and

    (2) for the global community to reach the global nutrition targets set 
for 2025: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate--
        <DELETED>    (1) recognizes that--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) food security and good nutrition in 
                early childhood saves lives and lays the foundation for 
                healthy physical and cognitive growth and 
                development;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the potential benefits of good 
                nutrition in early childhood are life-long and 
                influence the entire future of the child, with entire 
                communities and nations ultimately 
                prospering;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the right nutrition--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) helps children 
                        learn;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) helps protect children from 
                        illness;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) increases the productivity 
                        and earning potential of children later in 
                        life; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) supports the well-being and 
                        health of the future offspring of those 
                        children who receive that nutrition;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) women who are well-nourished and do 
                not suffer from anemia are less likely to die in 
                childbirth or give birth to children who are 
                malnourished, breaking the intergenerational cycle of 
                malnutrition;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) good nutrition is an economic issue 
                that is central to reducing poverty and putting 
                countries on a path to economic development;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) adults who were well-nourished as 
                children earn up to 46 percent more than adults who 
                were malnourished as children;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) countries with a very high burden of 
                early childhood malnutrition have lower economic growth 
                rates due to lost income and productivity; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) the cost of childhood malnutrition to 
                countries is substantial, with--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) estimated losses in Gross 
                        Domestic Product of 3 to 16 percent; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) potential impacts to the 
                        global economy as high as $3,500,000,000,000 
                        per year;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) applauds the leadership of the United States 
        in helping developing countries meet the nutritional needs of 
        women and children;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) supports continued efforts by the United 
        States to help developing countries meet the nutritional needs 
        of women and children;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) commends the United States Agency for 
        International Development (referred to in this resolution as 
        ``USAID'') for recognizing that nutrition interventions are 
        among the highest-impact evidence-based interventions that--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) are lifesaving; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) support the goal of ending preventable 
                child and maternal deaths;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) recognizes the Multi-Sectoral Nutrition 
        Strategy, the U.S. Government Global Nutrition Coordination 
        Plan, and the Global Food Security Strategy as platforms 
        through which to reach, by 2025, the global nutrition targets 
        agreed to at the World Health Assembly in 2012;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) recognizes the vision and goals of the Scaling 
        Up Nutrition movement, a global partnership supporting country-
        led efforts to improve maternal and child nutrition through the 
        involvement of--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) governments;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) civil society;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the United Nations;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) donors;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) businesses; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) researchers;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) recognizes that progress against global 
        malnutrition must be accelerated using innovative, scaled up 
        approaches to improve the systems that affect the health and 
        nutritional status of women and children; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) calls for transformative efforts across 
        sectors at USAID to accelerate progress to end maternal and 
        child malnutrition, including through--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) country development cooperation 
                strategies that align with national nutrition plans; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) improved and clear methods to track 
                nutrition funding and outcomes across all global 
                nutrition programs of the United States Government, 
                especially those relating to--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) global health;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) food security;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) agriculture;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) basic education;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) food assistance; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vi) water, sanitation, and 
                        hygiene (also known as ``WASH'').</DELETED>
That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes that--
                    (A) malnutrition is a universal issue that no 
                country can afford to overlook;
                    (B) food security and good nutrition in early 
                childhood saves lives and lays the foundation for 
                healthy physical and cognitive growth and development; 
                and
                    (C) the potential life-long health and economic 
                benefits of early childhood nutrition influence the 
                future of individual children and families, as well as 
                entire communities and countries;
            (2) acknowledges that effective programs to reduce 
        malnutrition are not only lifesaving, but also critical to the 
        success of United States foreign assistance programs to improve 
        global health, end preventable child and maternal death, 
        achieve an AIDS-free generation, reach starving children during 
        an emergency, strengthen food security, and accelerate 
        inclusive economic growth;
            (3) affirms that it is in the national interest of the 
        United States to help developing countries build their own 
        capacity to reduce malnutrition, address the direct and 
        indirect causes of malnutrition, and meet the nutritional needs 
        of women and children;
            (4) recognizes the effectiveness of the Multi-Sectoral 
        Nutrition Strategy of USAID, the U.S. Government Global 
        Nutrition Coordination Plan, and the U.S. Government Global 
        Food Security Strategy to address the direct and indirect 
        causes of malnutrition and reach, by 2025, the global nutrition 
        targets agreed to at the World Health Assembly in 2012;
            (5) supports the goals and principles of the Scaling Up 
        Nutrition movement to end global malnutrition through--
                    (A) greater collaboration between governments, 
                civil society, international organizations, donors, the 
                private sector, and researchers on multi-sectoral 
                approaches;
                    (B) cost-effective and inclusive approaches; and
                    (C) improved transparency and accountability for 
                results;
            (6) recognizes the significant progress made in the fight 
        against global malnutrition,
            (7) recommends accelerating improvements to the systems 
        affecting the health and nutritional status of women and 
        children through innovative, scaled-up approaches;
            (8) applauds the efforts of USAID to integrate effective 
        nutrition programming across relevant development sectors; and
            (9) calls for additional transformative efforts across 
        relevant sectors at USAID to accelerate progress toward ending 
        maternal and child malnutrition, including through--
                    (A) country development cooperation strategies that 
                align with national nutrition plans; and
                    (B) improved and clear methods to track nutrition 
                funding and outcomes across all global nutrition 
                programs of the United States Government, especially 
                those relating to--
                            (i) global health;
                            (ii) food security;
                            (iii) agricultural development;
                            (iv) basic education;
                            (v) food assistance; and
                            (vi) water, sanitation, and hygiene (also 
                        known as ``WASH'').
            Amend the title so as to read: ``A resolution recognizing 
        the importance of sustained United States leadership to 
        accelerating global progress against maternal and child 
        malnutrition and supporting the commitment of the United States 
        Agency for International Development to reducing global 
        malnutrition through the Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy.''.




                                                       Calendar No. 379

116th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                              S. RES. 260

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

  Recognizing the importance of sustained United States leadership to 
 accelerating global progress against maternal and child malnutrition 
     and supporting the commitment of the United States Agency for 
    International Development to global nutrition through the Multi-
                      Sectoral Nutrition Strategy.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           December 18, 2019

  Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble and an 
                         amendment to the title