I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6096 
To amend title V of the Social Security Act to include as a special project 
of regional and national significance the purchase, acquisition, and dis-
tribution to mothers of newborn infants newborn supply kits, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 18, 2025 
Ms. LETLOW (for herself, Ms. SCHRIER, Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS, and Ms. 
BARRAGA´N) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend title V of the Social Security Act to include 
as a special project of regional and national significance 
the purchase, acquisition, and distribution to mothers 
of newborn infants newborn supply kits, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives 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’’. 
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SEC. 2. NEWBORN SUPPLY KITS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 501(a)(2) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 701(a)(2)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and for evidence-based pro-
grams’’ and inserting ‘‘for evidence-based pro-
grams’’; and 
(2) by inserting before ‘‘; and’’ at the end the 
following: ‘‘, and for the purchase, acquisition, and 
distribution of newborn supply kits distributed in ac-
cordance with subsection (d)’’. 
(b) NEWBORN
SUPPLY
KIT
DEFINED.—Section 
501(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 701(b)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) 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, blan-
kets, and thermometers for newborn infants. 
‘‘(B) Postpartum pads, lotion, cold packs, 
breastfeeding supplies, information on the Na-
tional Maternal Mental Health Hotline estab-
lished under section 399V–7 of the Public 
Health Service Act, information on the National 
Women’s Health and Breastfeeding Helpline 
and 
additional 
educational 
material 
on 
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breastfeeding, information about Federal pro-
grams providing support to postpartum women 
and children, such as the special supplemental 
nutrition program for women, infants, and chil-
dren under section 17 of the Child Nutrition 
Act of 1966, and evidence-based educational 
material on the use of low-dose aspirin to ad-
dress hypertension, preeclampsia, and preterm 
birth. 
‘‘(C) A blood pressure monitor. 
‘‘(D) Other items necessary to support in-
fant and postpartum health (as determined by 
the Secretary).’’. 
(c) SET-ASIDE.—Section 501(c) of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 701(c)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (5) as para-
graph (6); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(5) For each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, of 
the funds made available under subsection (a) for a fiscal 
year, the Secretary may reserve not more than $5,000,000 
for the purpose of enabling the Secretary to provide for 
special projects of regional and national significance for 
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the purchase, acquisition, and distribution of newborn 
supply kits in accordance with subsection (d).’’. 
(d) ADMINISTRATION.—Section 501 of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 701) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(d)(1) In purchasing or acquiring newborn supply 
kits using funds made available under subsection (c)(5), 
the Secretary shall make grants or enter into cooperative 
agreements with nonprofit entities that have a multi-state 
presence to procure such newborn supply kits for new 
mothers, such as community-based organizations, Feder-
ally qualified health centers (as defined in section 
1861(aa)), Tribal organizations (as defined in section 4 
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assist-
ance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)), and birthing hospitals. 
‘‘(2) In distributing newborn supply kits purchased 
or acquired using funds made available under subsection 
(c)(5), the entity that distributes such kits shall, as a con-
dition on the receipt of such funds— 
‘‘(A) partner with a local organizations that 
serve the locations where such newborn supply kits 
are to be distributed; 
‘‘(B) to the maximum extent practicable, ensure 
the geographical diversity of the recipients of such 
newborn supply kits; 
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‘‘(C) give priority to geographic areas with the 
greatest need, such as maternity care deserts, rural 
communities, and communities with the highest ma-
ternal mortality rates (such as the Delta region); 
and 
‘‘(D) give priority to mothers or newborn in-
fants whose family income does not exceed 185 per-
cent 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.’’. 
(e) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date on which the first grant or cooperative 
agreement is awarded pursuant to the amendment 
made by subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
on the progress of the grants or cooperative agree-
ments so awarded, including— 
(A) the number of mothers served under 
the grants or cooperative agreements during the 
period covered by the report (disaggregated by 
race, family income level, and number of indi-
viduals in the household); 
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(B) the regions in the United States in 
which newborn supply kits are being distributed 
through such grants or cooperative agreements; 
(C) feedback from mothers who have re-
ceived newborn supply kits through such grants 
or cooperative agreements; and 
(D) such other information, as determined 
necessary by the Secretary. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date on which the last grant or cooperative 
agreement is awarded pursuant to the amendment 
made by subsection (a) for fiscal year 2030, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the results of the grants or co-
operative agreements awarded pursuant to the 
amendment made by subsection (a) with respect to 
maternal and infant health outcomes. 
(3) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS 
DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘appro-
priate committees of Congress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives; 
(B) the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; 
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(C) the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives; and 
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate. 
Æ 
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