Rep. Molinaro introduces bipartisan bill to reduce childhood hunger

Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY) has partnered with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) on the introduction of the Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act, a bill designed to enable children in care settings to have increased access to healthy meals and snacks.

The new bill updates the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), which provides essential nutrition guidance and significant support for child and adult care programs. Under the new bill’s provisions, children in full-day care can have an additional meal or snack. Molinaro stated many providers have found CACFP’s requirements to be burdensome, and he said the new bill would streamline the program to make it easier for early learning programs and child care providers to participate.

“To fight childhood hunger and combat our nation’s childcare crisis, we are expanding the Child and Adult Care Food Program to adequately feed children in care facilities and make it easier for more providers to participate in the program,” said Molinaro, who represents New York’s 19th Congressional Distrist. “As a member of the Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici to ensure our nation’s children don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.”