I 
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 partner-
ships 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. 
BARRAGA´N) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
establish a pilot program under which the Secretary en-
ters 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 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.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall establish a pilot program under which the 
Secretary will make grants or enter into cooperative agree-
ments 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 receiv-
ing 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 ma-
ternal 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 
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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 Sec-
retary shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the progress of the pilot pro-
gram under this section, including— 
(A) the number of mothers served under 
the pilot program (disaggregated by race, fam-
ily 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 re-
ceived 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— 
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(A) on the results of the pilot program 
with respect to maternal and infant health out-
comes; and 
(B) that includes the Secretary’s rec-
ommendation on whether to extend or expand 
the pilot program. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ 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; 
(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 enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a community-based organization; 
(B) a hospital; or 
(C) another organization serving mothers 
and infants. 
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(3) NEWBORN SUPPLY KIT.—The term ‘‘new-
born 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 ma-
ternal 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 hyper-
tension, 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). 
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(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. 
Æ 
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