[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7906 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7906
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and administer a
pilot program to provide grants to support Food is Medicine programs,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 12, 2026
Ms. Kelly of Illinois (for herself, Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia, Ms.
Norton, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Figures, and Ms. Bynum)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and administer a
pilot program to provide grants to support Food is Medicine programs,
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 ``Fueling Optimal Outcomes through
Diet for Health Act'' or the ``FOOD for Health Act''.
SEC. 2. FOOD IS MEDICINE PILOT GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and administer a pilot
program to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities
described in subsection (b) to support Food is Medicine programs.
(b) Application.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, an
entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
determines is appropriate.
(c) Use of Funds.--A grant awarded under this section may only be
used to support the activities of a Food is Medicine program,
including--
(1) operating an on-site emergency feeding operation;
(2) medically tailored packaging or delivery of groceries;
(3) medically tailored meals and produce prescriptions;
(4) providing individual or group-based evidence-based
cooking skills (including through the use of digital
technologies);
(5) promoting dietary intervention strategies or other
health-related strategies; and
(6) transportation of program participants to and from the
communities served by the program.
(d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to eligible entities described in subsection (b)--
(1) that will incorporate local and regional foods, as
determined by the Secretary, into activities funded by the
grant; or
(2) that will include registered dieticians or nutrition
professionals in the activities funded by the grant.
(e) Regional Balance; Advancing Health Outcomes.--In awarding
grants under this section, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent
practicable--
(1) ensure geographic diversity;
(2) ensure the equitable treatment of--
(A) urban, rural, and tribal communities; and
(B) communities in territories of the United
States; and
(3) advance health outcomes.
(f) Reports.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Initial report.--Not later than 2 years after
the date of the establishment of the pilot program
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary shall
submit to Congress a report that--
(i) analyzes the efficiency of such pilot
program; and
(ii) assesses the effect of such pilot
program on patient outcomes and system costs.
(B) Final report.--Not later than 6 years after the
date of the establishment of the pilot program referred
to in subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to
Congress an updated version of the report referred to
in subparagraph (A).
(2) Elements.--The reports described in paragraph (1) shall
each contain descriptions of--
(A) the details and implementation of the pilot
program referred to in subsection (a);
(B) the participant selection criteria used by Food
is Medicine programs supported by grants awarded under
this section;
(C) the diseases and other medical issues being
addressed by grants awarded under this section;
(D) the strategies of such Food is Medicine
programs in providing healthy, affordable food to
program participants;
(E) the use and impact of medical nutrition therapy
in coordination with the provision of food on the
outcomes of participants treated by such Food is
Medicine programs; and
(F) the impact of grants awarded under this section
on the health (including behavioral health) of
participants in such Food is Medicine programs.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
(h) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``diet-related disease'' means--
(A) diabetes and prediabetes;
(B) a renal disease;
(C) obesity (as defined by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention or as otherwise defined by the
Secretary);
(D) hypertension;
(E) dyslipidemia;
(F) malnutrition;
(G) an eating disorder;
(H) cancer;
(I) a gastrointestinal disease, including celiac
disease;
(J) HIV/AIDS;
(K) cardiovascular disease;
(L) mental illness, including depression and
anxiety; and
(M) any other disease as determined appropriate by
the Secretary.
(2) The term ``Food is Medicine program'' means a program
developed or operated by a community-based organization (such
as an emergency feeding operation), in partnership with a
health care provider (such as a community health clinic), to
deploy the provision of food or medical nutrition therapy
services to benefit participants experiencing, at risk of, or
recovering from a diet-related disease.
(3) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Agriculture, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and
Human Services.
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