Two Democratic congresswomen on Thursday introduced the "End Diaper Need Act of 2019", a bill they say "would create a $100 million demonstration program for distributing free diapers and diapering products in states, communities, and nonprofits around the nation to help reduce the diaper need in low-income families and underserved communities."
Representatives Barbara Lee from California and Rosa DeLauro from Connecticut are the sponsors.
"No family should have to choose between buying diapers for their child or buying groceries—but that is exactly the situation many families face every day," said Congresswoman DeLauro in a press release.
"Most child care centers won't accept a child without an adequate supply of diapers, preventing low-income families from enrolling their child in child care and returning to work," Lee said in the same release. "These families should not have to choose between purchasing basic household needs and buying diapers. It is past time for our government to provide this basic need for millions of children."
The program would partner with "eligible entities" that would then "have discretion on how to implement the program, and how to best distribute diapers to families in need."
DeLauro chairs the appropriations subcommittee that funds the Department of Health and Human Services, and would therefore appear to have good odds of pushing the measure through the House. Accomplishing the same through the Republican-controlled Senate, however, would be a more difficult challenge.