The Newborns Essentials Support Toolkit (NEST) Act creates a federal program to provide free supply kits to new mothers, particularly those with low incomes. Each kit contains essential items for both newborns and postpartum mothers, including diapers, wipes, hygiene products, blankets, thermometers, postpartum care supplies, breastfeeding resources, blood pressure monitors, and educational materials on maternal mental health and nutrition programs. The bill allocates up to $5 million per year from 2026 through 2030 to fund grants and cooperative agreements with nonprofits, community health centers, tribal organizations, and hospitals to purchase and distribute these kits, with priority given to high-need areas like rural communities, maternity care deserts, and regions with high maternal mortality rates, as well as families earning up to 185 percent of the poverty line. The Secretary of Health and Human Services must report to Congress within one year on program progress and demographics of mothers served, and submit a final report within six months after 2030 detailing outcomes related to maternal and infant health.
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