119th (2025–2027)
H.Res. 712
This resolution expresses congressional support for designating September 14, 2025, as "National Food is Medicine Day" to highlight the role of nutrition in preventing and managing chronic diseases. The bill recognizes that using nutritious food as part of medical treatment—through medically tailored meals, groceries, and nutrition education—can help manage conditions like diabetes and heart disease while reducing healthcare costs. The resolution notes that chronic diseases account for over 90 percent of the nation's $4.5 trillion in annual healthcare spending, and that poor diets and food insecurity cost the country more than $1.1 trillion yearly in combined healthcare expenses and lost productivity. Rather than providing direct funding, the resolution urges the Department of Health and Human Services to expand scientific research on food-as-medicine interventions, collaborate with the Department of Agriculture, and work with healthcare providers and organizations to integrate these approaches into standard medical care. The legislation was introduced by Representatives Evans, Buchanan, and McGovern and referred to the House Committees on Energy and Commerce and Agriculture.