[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 27, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S4724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 371--SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF THE WEEK OF 
 SEPTEMBER 18 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2023, AS ``MALNUTRITION AWARENESS 
                                 WEEK''

  Mr. MURPHY (for himself, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Booker, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
Blumenthal, and Ms. Hassan) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry:

                              S. Res. 371

       Whereas malnutrition is the condition that occurs when an 
     individual does not get enough protein, calories, or 
     nutrients;
       Whereas malnutrition is a significant problem in the United 
     States and around the world, crossing all age, racial, class, 
     gender, and geographic lines;
       Whereas malnutrition can be driven by social determinants 
     of health, including poverty or economic instability, access 
     to affordable healthcare, and low health literacy;
       Whereas there are inextricable and cyclical links between 
     poverty and malnutrition;
       Whereas the Department of Agriculture defines food 
     insecurity as when an individual or household does not have 
     regular, reliable access to the foods needed for good health;
       Whereas communities of color, across all age groups, are 
     disproportionately likely to experience both food insecurity 
     and malnutrition;
       Whereas Black children are almost 3 times more likely to 
     live in a food-insecure household than White children;
       Whereas infants, older adults, individuals with chronic 
     diseases, and other vulnerable populations are particularly 
     at risk for malnutrition;
       Whereas the American Academy of Pediatrics has found that 
     failure to provide key nutrients during early childhood may 
     result in lifelong deficits in brain function;
       Whereas disease-associated malnutrition affects between 30 
     and 50 percent of patients admitted to hospitals, and the 
     medical costs of hospitalized patients with malnutrition can 
     be 300 percent more than the medical costs of properly 
     nourished patients;
       Whereas, according to the report entitled ``National 
     Blueprint: Achieving Quality Malnutrition Care for Older 
     Adults, 2020 Update'' of the Malnutrition Quality 
     Collaborative, as many as \1/2\ of older adults living in the 
     United States are malnourished or at risk for malnutrition;
       Whereas, according to recent surveys conducted by the Aging 
     Network--
       (1) 76 percent of older adults receiving meals at senior 
     centers and other congregate facilities report improved 
     health outcomes; and
       (2) 84 percent of older adults receiving home-delivered 
     meals indicate improved health outcomes;
       Whereas disease-associated malnutrition in older adults 
     alone costs the United States more than $51,300,000,000 each 
     year; and
       Whereas the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral 
     Nutrition established ``Malnutrition Awareness Week'' to 
     raise awareness about, and promote the prevention of, 
     malnutrition throughout the lifespan: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of ``Malnutrition Awareness 
     Week'';
       (2) recognizes registered dietitian nutritionists and other 
     nutrition professionals, health care providers, school food 
     service workers, social workers, advocates, caregivers, and 
     other professionals and agencies for their efforts to advance 
     awareness about, treatment for, and prevention of 
     malnutrition;
       (3) recognizes the importance of Federal nutrition 
     programs, including the nutrition programs under title III of 
     the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3021 et seq.) and 
     Federal child nutrition programs, for their role in combating 
     malnutrition;
       (4) supports increased funding for the critical programs 
     described in paragraph (3);
       (5) recognizes--
       (A) the importance of medical nutrition therapy under the 
     Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.); and
       (B) the need for vulnerable populations to have access to 
     nutrition counseling;
       (6) recognizes the importance of the innovative research 
     conducted by the National Institutes of Health relating to--
       (A) nutrition, dietary patterns, and the human 
     gastrointestinal microbiome; and
       (B) how the factors described in subparagraph (A) influence 
     the prevention or development of chronic disease throughout 
     the lifespan;
       (7) supports access to malnutrition screening and 
     assessment for all patients;
       (8) encourages the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
     to evaluate the implementation of newly-approved malnutrition 
     electronic clinical quality measures; and
       (9) acknowledges the importance of access to healthy food 
     for children, especially in childcare settings and schools, 
     and the benefits of evidence-based nutrition standards.

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