[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 228 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 228

Expressing support for the designation of the third week of March 2025 
                      as ``National CACFP Week''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 18, 2025

   Ms. Bonamici (for herself and Ms. Norton) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                               Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the designation of the third week of March 2025 
                      as ``National CACFP Week''.

Whereas the Department of Agriculture reaffirms the vital role positive 
        nutrition habits play in the healthy growth of children in the United 
        States;
Whereas the Department of Agriculture also recognizes the importance of 
        nutrition education for the most vulnerable and youngest children, as 
        well as adults, through care centers and homes throughout the United 
        States;
Whereas the child and adult care food program (commonly referred to as 
        ``CACFP'') provides meals and snacks to more than 4,500,000 children in 
        child care centers, family day care homes, emergency shelters, and 
        after-school programs and 115,000 adults in adult day care centers 
        daily, covering the costs of nearly 1,700,000,000 nutritious meals and 
        snacks each year;
Whereas research has found that participation in CACFP reduces the prevalence of 
        the conditions of underweight, overweight, or obesity in children, which 
        highlights the importance of healthful meal patterns along with accurate 
        nutrition education;
Whereas CACFP increases the quality of child care, especially for children in 
        low-income communities;
Whereas CACFP increases the effectiveness and viability of Head Start programs, 
        child care programs, including military child care, and adult day care 
        homes for many providers, especially in rural areas;
Whereas CACFP improves the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical health and 
        development of children, leading to more favorable outcomes such as--

    (1) a decreased likelihood of being hospitalized;

    (2) an increased likelihood of healthy weight gain; and

    (3) an increased likelihood of a more varied diet, including increased 
consumption of vegetables, meat, eggs, whole grains, and milk;

Whereas the innovative approach to CACFP implementation, which pairs Head Start 
        programs, child care homes and centers, including military child care, 
        adult day care centers, emergency shelters, and after-school sites with 
        either a nonprofit sponsoring organization or a State agency, highlights 
        a unique public-private partnership that supports working families and 
        small businesses; and
Whereas the third week of March is annually recognized as ``National CACFP 
        Week'' to raise awareness of the child and adult care food program of 
        the Department of Agriculture: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the role of the child and adult care food 
        program (commonly referred to as ``CACFP'') in improving the 
        health of the country's most vulnerable children and adults in 
        Head Start programs, child care programs, including military 
        child care, family day care homes, emergency shelters, adult 
        day care homes, and after-school care by providing nutritious 
        meals and snacks;
            (2) urges support for continuing to strengthen CACFP by 
        offering reimbursement for an additional meal or snack for 
        children in care for a full day, reducing area eligibility from 
        50 percent to 40 percent, offering annual eligibility to for-
        profit child care centers, factoring in annual food inflation 
        fairly for child care regardless of setting, and reducing 
        administrative burdens to participation;
            (3) acknowledges that CACFP can, and should, be an 
        important tool in reducing the costs faced by the care economy, 
        including licensed or approved child or adult care; and
            (4) supports the designation of ``National CACFP Week''.
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