Combating Lead Poisoning Through Nutrition Education Act of 2018

Summary: Combating Lead Poisoning Through Nutrition Education Act of 2018  This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to carry out a nutrition education program to support and award grants for community-wide messaging and outreach on: (1) the harmful impacts of lead exposure; and (2) the important role nutrition plays in a diet protective against lead exposure, especially for children. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Lead Poisoning Through 
Nutrition Education Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. NUTRITION OUTREACH PROGRAM TO RESPOND TO EXPOSURE TO LEAD.

    (a) Implementation of Nutrition Education Program.--The Secretary 
of Agriculture shall carry out a nutrition education program to be 
called ``Well Fed Means Less Lead'' (in this section referred to as 
WFMLL) to support communitywide messaging and outreach on both the 
harmful impacts of lead exposure and the important role nutrition plays 
in a diet protective against lead exposure, especially for children.
    (b) Grants.--The Secretary shall make grants to eligible entities 
that submit applications containing such terms and conditions as the 
Secretary considers appropriate, to carry out WFMLL campaigns.
    (c) Priority.--For the purpose of making grants under subsection 
(b), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that--
            (1) are located in geographical areas in which there is a 
        large number of children with elevated blood lead levels; and
            (2) agree to provide WFMLL--
                    (A) using culturally competent approaches, 
                including print materials, to conduct outreach to 
                targeted populations;
                    (B) using campaigns that are developed based on, 
                and responsive to, community needs; and
                    (C) that reaches a breadth of supplemental-
                nutrition-assistance-program-eligible households and 
                low-income individuals (including pregnant women, 
                infants, toddlers, and parents of school-age children 
                at highest risk of elevated blood lead levels) through 
                multiple channels.
    (d) Limitation.--In any fiscal year, no eligible entity may receive 
more than 15 percent of the amount appropriated to carry out this 
section in such fiscal year.
    (e) Allowable Uses of Funds.--Grants made under subsection (b) 
shall be used--
            (1) to carry out communitywide education campaigns using 
        evidence-based materials that inform supplemental-nutrition-
        assistance-program-eligible households and the greater 
        community about lead exposure, and may include multilingual 
        print materials, street-level billboards, and advertising on 
        radio or social media;
            (2) to support outreach and education activities to inform 
        individuals of foods that can mitigate the impact of elevated 
        blood lead levels in children;
            (3) to target WFMLL outreach through coordination with 
        community organizations and Department of Agriculture nutrition 
        programs serving pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and school-
        age children;
            (4) to implement strategies that are focused on increasing 
        consumption of certain foods and nutrients and that include 
        creating culturally competent materials, training community 
        organizations working with youth, offering community training, 
        and conducting door-to-door efforts during daylight hours;
            (5) to promote and encourage participation in Federal 
        nutrition programs (including the supplemental nutrition 
        assistance program, the child and adult care food program, the 
        summer food service program, the national school lunch program, 
        and the special supplemental nutrition program for women, 
        infants, and children) as a means to improve nutrition and to 
        minimize lead absorption by using culturally relevant, family-
        friendly, evidence-based educational materials reflective of 
        existing materials;
            (6) to engage with local businesses, governmental entities, 
        civic organizations, community groups, and residents to 
        mobilize community partnerships around healthy eating and lead 
        poisoning prevention; and
            (7) to develop systems that refer and link low-income 
        individuals and supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-
        eligible households to foods that provide nutrients essential 
        to creating a diet protective against lead.
    (f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
        agency of a unit of general purpose local government, a 
        nonprofit entity serving children at highest risk of lead 
        poisoning, an emergency feeding organization, a food bank or 
        food pantry (as defined in section 201A of Emergency Food 
        Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501)), a federally recognized 
        Tribe or Tribal organization, an urban Indian organization, a 
        local education agency, or a federally qualified health center.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.