[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8715 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8715

  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
  pilot program under which the Secretary enters into public-private 
partnerships with eligible entities to distribute to mothers of newborn 
          infants newborn supply kits, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 12, 2024

   Ms. Letlow (for herself, Ms. Schrier, Mrs. Miller-Meeks, and Ms. 
  Barragan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
  pilot program under which the Secretary enters into public-private 
partnerships with eligible entities to distribute to mothers of newborn 
          infants newborn supply kits, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Newborns Essentials Support Toolkit 
Act'' or the ``NEST Act''.

SEC. 2. NEWBORN SUPPLY KITS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a 
pilot program under which the Secretary will make grants or enter into 
cooperative agreements with eligible entities to distribute to mothers 
of newborn infants newborn supply kits.
    (b) Distribution Criteria.--An eligible entity that receives a 
grant or enters into a cooperative agreement under subsection (a) shall 
agree, as a condition on receiving such a grant or entering into such 
an agreement, that in distributing newborn supply kits using funds 
received through the pilot program under this section, the entity 
shall--
            (1) to the maximum extent practicable, ensure the 
        geographical diversity of the recipients of such newborn supply 
        kits;
            (2) give priority to geographic areas with the greatest 
        need, such as maternal care deserts, rural communities, and 
        communities with the highest maternal mortality rates (such as 
        the Delta region); and
            (3) give priority to mothers of newborn infants whose 
        family income does not exceed 185 percent of the poverty line 
        (as defined in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block 
        Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2))) for a family of the size 
        involved.
    (c) Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date on 
        which the first grant or cooperative agreement is awarded under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
        committees of Congress a report on the progress of the pilot 
        program under this section, including--
                    (A) the number of mothers served under the pilot 
                program (disaggregated by race, family income level, 
                and number of individuals in the household);
                    (B) the regions in the United States in which 
                newborn supply kits are being distributed through the 
                pilot program;
                    (C) feedback from mothers who have received newborn 
                supply kits through the pilot program; and
                    (D) such other information, as determined necessary 
                by the Secretary.
            (2) Final report.--At the conclusion of the pilot program 
        under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report--
                    (A) on the results of the pilot program with 
                respect to maternal and infant health outcomes; and
                    (B) that includes the Secretary's recommendation on 
                whether to extend or expand the pilot program.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives;
                    (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions of the Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a community-based organization;
                    (B) a hospital; or
                    (C) another organization serving mothers and 
                infants.
            (3) Newborn supply kit.--The term ``newborn supply kit'' 
        means a kit composed of essential goods to help mothers recover 
        from childbirth and care for newborn infants that includes the 
        following items:
                    (A) Diapers, wipes, hygiene items, blankets, and 
                thermometers for newborn infants.
                    (B) Postpartum pads, lotion, cold packs, 
                breastfeeding supplies, information on the maternal 
                mental health hotline, information about Federal 
                programs providing support to postpartum women and 
                children, such as the special supplemental nutrition 
                program for women, infants, and children under section 
                17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), 
                and evidence-based educational material on the use of 
                low-dose aspirin to address hypertension, preeclampsia, 
                and preterm birth.
                    (C) A blood pressure monitor.
                    (D) Other items necessary to support infant and 
                postpartum health (as determined by the Secretary).
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2025 through 2029.
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