Sponsor
Stephen Cohen
Representative · D-TN
Representative · D-TN
The bill funds provider training, technical assistance, and evaluation to improve healthy eating and physical activity for young children—likely improving child nutrition and reducing food insecurity—while risking uneven access, added administrative burdens for providers/states, and modest additional federal spending.
Children birth–5 in participating early care programs will gain better access to healthier foods and structured physical-activity supports because providers receive training and capacity-building.
Low-income and food-insecure families with enrolled children are more likely to see reduced food insecurity as childcare programs link participants to nutrition supports and track household food-security changes.
State early-childhood systems and providers gain technical assistance, monitoring capacity, and an independent national evaluation that produce data, uniform metrics, and best-practice guidance to improve and scale healthy-eating and activity practices.
Smaller, rural, or noneligible community providers and some communities may be left out because grants are competitive and eligibility is limited, worsening geographic and organizational disparities in access.
States and early-care providers may face increased administrative and implementation costs and new reporting requirements that divert limited staff time and resources away from direct child care and services.
The federal cost (about $5 million per year plus a $1.7 million FY2026 amount) increases taxpayer spending over 2026–2030.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates a CDC-administered Healthy Kids Grant Program funding 5-year projects to train early care providers and reduce food insecurity and obesity risks for children birth–5.
Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act to promote healthy eating and physical activity among children.
Introduced September 9, 2025 by Stephen Cohen · Last progress September 9, 2025
Creates a new federal Healthy Kids Grant Program to fund five-year, competitive grants that train and support early care and education providers to promote healthy eating, physical activity, and to reduce food insecurity among children from birth through age 5. Grants are administered by CDC in coordination with ACF, prioritize partnerships with States, Tribes, territories and local providers, require independent national evaluation, and are authorized at $5 million annually for FY2026–2030 (plus a one-time $1.7M in FY2026 for tracking).