,i  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #abhi  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,february #ac1       
#bjbe,mr4 ,buchanan 7for himself and    
,ms4 ,moore of ,wisconsin7 introduced   
the following bill2 which was referred  
to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs
  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs to establish and  
carry out a pilot program to administer 
to eligible veterans medically-tailored 
meals and groceries1 and for other      
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,veterans ,nutrition
 and ,wellness ,act of #bjbe4  #b4      
,department of ,veterans ,affairs pilot 
program to administer medically-tailored
 meals and groceries to certain eligible
 veterans  7a7 ,in general ,not later   
than #ahj days after the date of the    
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs shall establish   
and carry out a pilot program 7to be    
known as the ,food is ,medicine         
program74  7b7 ,functions ,under the    

,food is ,medicine program1 the         
,secretary shall1 7#a7 with respect to  
eligible veterans described in          
subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 administer        
medically-tailored meals and            
medically-tailored groceries2 and  7,b7 
furnish nutrition education and cooking 
classes through a registered dieticians1
 nutritionists1 and community health    
workers2  7#b7 develop and seek to      
implement training programs for health  
care providers employed by the          
,department of ,veterans ,affairs with  
respect to the integration of the ,food 
is ,medicine program in the treatment   
plans of veterans receiving health care 
under the laws administered by the      
,secretary2 and  7#c7 seek to           
collaborate with community-based        
organizations1 including food banks and 
local agriculture programs1 to-- 7,a7   
procure fresh and locally-sourced       
produce2 and  7,b7 expand the           
availability of medically-tailored meals
 and medically-tailored groceries4  7c7 

,eligibility ,an eligible veteran       
described in this subsection is a       
veteran 7as defined in section #aja of  
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code7 who is
 enrolled in the system of annual       
patient enrollment established and      
operated under section #agje of such    
section and-- 7#a7 receives health care 
furnished by the ,department with       
respect to multiple chronic conditions1 
including diabetes1 cancer1 or heart    
failure2 or  7#b7 receives such health  
care with respect to maternal health1   
including prenatal care1 labor and      
delivery care1 postpartum care1 and is  
at risk of preeclampsia or gestational  
diabetes4  7d7 ,regional balance ,in    
carrying out the ,food is ,medicine     
program1 the ,secretary shall1 to the   
maximum extent practicable ensure       
geographic diversity of the pilot       
program offices of the ,food is         
,medicine program4  7e7 ,report ,during 
the period the authority to carry out   
the ,food is ,medicine program is       

effective1 the ,secretary shall submit  
to ,congress an annual report on such   
program that includes-- 7#a7 the number 
of eligible veterans participating in   
such program2  7#b7 with respect to such
 eligible veterans1 a summary of-- 7,a7 
health outcomes2  7,b7 effects on       
physical and mental health2  7,c7       
quality of life2 and  7,d7 the extent of
 utilization of health care under the   
laws administered by the ,secretary2    
7#c7 an evaluation of the effectiveness 
of such program1 including estimated    
cost savings to the ,department of      
,veterans ,affairs2 and  7#d7           
recommendations of the ,secretary with  
respect to potential improvements to    
such program4  7f7 ,authorization of    
appropriations  7#a7 ,in general        
,subject to paragraph 7#b71 there are   
authorized to be appropriated to the    
,secretary for fiscal years #bjbe       
through #bjbh such sums as may be       
necessary to carry out the ,food is     
,medicine program4  7#b7 ,use of funds  

,any amounts appropriated pursuant to   
paragraph 7#a7 shall be used for-- 7,a7 
developing and operating the ,food is   
,medicine program2  7,b7 hiring         
registered dieticians and nutrition     
specialists2  7,c7 conducting research  
and evaluations2 and  7,d7 establishing 
partnerships with local organizations   
pursuant to subsection 7b77#c74  7g7    
,termination date ,the authority of the 
,secretary to carry out the ,food is    
,medicine program shall terminate on the
 date that is three years after the date
 of the enactment of this ,act4  7h7    
,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,the   
term medically-tailored groceries means 
nutritious food for an individual with a
 diet-sensitive condition curated to the
 treatment plan of such individual4     
7#b7 ,the term medically-tailored meals 
means nutritious meals customized for an
 individual with a severe chronic       
condition or limitation in activities of
 daily living4