A resolution expressing the gratitude of the Senate for the people who operate or support diaper banks and diaper distribution programs in their local communities.

III 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 205 Expressing the gratitude of the Senate for the people who operate or support diaper banks and diaper distribution programs in their local communities. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 14, 2019 Mr. MURPHY (for himself, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. JONES, Mr. BRAUN, Mr. CASEY, Mr. TILLIS, Ms. ROSEN, Ms. COLLINS, Ms. SMITH, Mr. ROBERTS, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mr. HOEVEN, Mr. LANKFORD, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BOOZMAN, Ms. MCSALLY, Mr. BROWN, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, and Mr. WICKER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 Committee discharged; considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Expressing the gratitude of the Senate for the people who operate or support diaper banks and diaper distribution programs in their local communities. Whereas the lack of a sufficient clean diaper supply can ad- versely affect the physical, mental, and economic well- being of infants, toddlers, and their families; Whereas diapers are a material basic need of every infant and toddler; Whereas an infant requires up to 12 diapers per day, at a cost of $70 to $80 per month; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:30 Sep 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR205.ATS SR205 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 SRES 205 ATS Whereas low-wage families and families living in poverty often rely on community donations for diapers; Whereas addressing diaper need in local communities can im- prove health conditions and economic opportunities for infants, toddlers, and their families; Whereas many families delay changing a diaper to extend their diaper supply, thereby increasing the incidence of diaper dermatitis, urinary tract infections, and other health ailments; Whereas families displaced by natural disasters experience an acute need for diapers, particularly as diapers are not consistently provided through relief efforts; Whereas diapers provided by diaper banks and volunteer dis- tribution projects amplify the impact of resources de- ployed by larger disaster relief organizations; Whereas, in September 2011, the National Diaper Bank Net- work was created to support children and their families and to raise awareness of diaper need among the general public; Whereas more than 1,000,000 diapers were distributed along the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma by nonprofit diaper banks and diaper pantries that are members of the National Diaper Bank Network; Whereas the National Diaper Bank Network coordinates on- going diaper supply efforts in the aftermath of natural disasters such as Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, the California wildfires, and the Midwestern floods; and Whereas, during 2017, the more than 300 nonprofit diaper banks and diaper pantries that are members of the Na- tional Diaper Bank Network distributed more than 64,000,000 donated diapers, helping ensure that each VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:30 Sep 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR205.ATS SR205 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 SRES 205 ATS month more than 225,000 children in need received dia- pers: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) expresses its gratitude for the people who 2 operate or support diaper banks and diaper distribu- 3 tion programs in their local communities; 4 (2) supports the important efforts made by dia- 5 per banks and diaper distribution programs in re- 6 sponse to natural disasters; and 7 (3) encourages the people of the United States 8 to address diaper need by donating generously to di- 9 aper banks, diaper pantries, diaper drives, and orga- 10 nizations that distribute diapers to families in need. 11 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:30 Sep 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR205.ATS SR205 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS