Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) advocated for the passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of her sponsored bill, “the Bipartisan Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2025,” which she lead alongside Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), on Wednesday, Sept. 17.

 

If passed in both houses, she said the legislation would reauthorize the Healthy Start program through Fiscal Year 2030, which provides critical funding for community-based efforts that improve maternal and infant health. She said Healthy Start currently funds more than 115 locally-based programs in 37 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, providing case management, educational activities, and connections to food, housing, and transportation assistance.

 

After discussing the bill, the relevant committee unanimously voted to advance the congresswoman’s bill to the House floor for a vote where it passed unanimously, 49 to 0, and now awaits passage in the U.S. Senate.  “Healthy Start is a beautiful, and again, bipartisan program that helps moms learn how to breastfeed, learn safe sleep practices, have access to some diapers, and formula,” Ocasio-Cortez said in part, adding that it was first introduced under former U.S. President George Bush in 1991.

 

She added in part, “While the United States experiences some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, Healthy Start has been a bright spot in helping reduce those deaths.”