Strengthening Protections for Children with Food Allergies Act
Sponsored By: Representative DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
Introduced
Summary
Strengthened food allergy protections in school and child-care nutrition programs and in WIC. This bill would expand mandatory training for staff on preventing and treating allergic reactions and require WIC education and outreach for people with food allergies.
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- Families and WIC participants: Requires new nutrition education materials that reflect evidence from the Dietary Guidelines and address pregnancy, postpartum, prenatal exposure, and children with food allergies. Materials must be published, disseminated, and offered in other languages and alternative formats for people with disabilities.
- Child nutrition staff and program personnel: Upgrades mandatory training to cover preventing, recognizing, and responding to food-related allergic reactions, including use of epinephrine with FDA-approved delivery systems, communicating allergen info in menus and recipes, avoiding cross-contact, and making appropriate food substitutions. Training must also be made available to staff in the Special Milk Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program.
- Access and inclusion: Training and outreach must be provided in languages other than English and in relevant alternative formats for individuals with disabilities to improve inclusion for people with limited English proficiency and disabilities.
- Funding: Authorizes $1.0 million per fiscal year for 2027 through 2031 for expanded training and $1.0 million for fiscal year 2027 to develop and disseminate WIC materials.
*If funded, the bill would increase federal outlays by up to about $6.0 million over 2027–2031.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Stronger allergy training for child nutrition staff
If enacted, the bill would require more detailed food-allergy training for staff in several child nutrition programs. Training would cover preventing, recognizing, and responding to allergic reactions, including giving epinephrine with FDA-approved devices. It would teach how to label allergens, avoid cross-contact, and offer safe food substitutions. The bill would also authorize $1,000,000 a year for each fiscal year 2027 through 2031 to support this training, but Congress would still need to appropriate the money.
WIC allergy education and funding
If enacted, the bill would require the WIC program to develop and publish nutrition education materials about food allergies. Materials must reflect Dietary Guidelines evidence and cover pregnancy, postpartum, prenatal exposure for infants, and children with food allergies. The Secretary would submit proposed materials to HHS for comment, provide needed translations and disability formats, and do outreach to eligible people affected by food allergies. The bill would authorize $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 to carry out these activities, but actual spending would require future appropriation.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 9/3/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov