Bay Area

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Introduces Bill to Address Food Insecurity’s Impact on Chronic Health Conditions

Congresswoman Barbara Lee introduced the National Food as Medicine Act on Wednesday. Food as Medicine affirms the connection between food and health and recognizes that access to high-quality nourishment is essential for well-being. This legislation would reduce nutrition-related chronic diseases and food insecurity and improve health and racial equity in the United States, and would increase Americans’ access to healthy, nutritious, organic, and affordable foods, as well as behavioral services such as health coaching and nutrition counseling, especially in low-income communities.

Published

7 months ago

September 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Nico Ballón

Special to The Post

This legislation would reduce nutrition-related chronic diseases and food insecurity and improve health and racial equity in the United States, and would increase Americans’ access to healthy, nutritious, organic, and affordable foods, as well as behavioral services such as health coaching and nutrition counseling, especially in low-income communities.

“Good, nutritious foods are the cornerstone of good health,” said Lee. “Yet far too many Americans, especially in low-income communities and communities of color, lack access to affordable, nutritious food. A national Food as Medicine program will reduce health care costs, improve health outcomes, and improve the quality of life for generations to come, especially for patients with diet-related chronic diseases. It our responsibility to end hunger and begin to transform our “disease care system” to a true health care system. Food as Medicine is the path to do just that.”

In 2023, over 18 million U.S. households were food insecure. A landmark 2018 study demonstrated that an unhealthy diet is the leading cause of death in the United States, surpassing tobacco use, high blood pressure, and obesity, and causing more than half a million deaths per year in the United States. A growing body of research demonstrates that using healthy food, termed “medically supportive food,” in a clinical setting helps the healthcare system address food and nutrition insecurity, chronic disease, racial and health equity, and the intersections between them. This is further evidenced by work being spearheaded in Alameda County and their Recipe4Health “Food as Medicine” model.

The National Food as Medicine Act would:

Establish a Food as Medicine Waiver Grant program to establish, implement, and expand Food as Medicine interventions to reduce nutrition-related chronic conditions and improve health
Establish a USDA Food as Medicine Technical Assistant Program to support producers to connect with local health care systems to provide for FAM interventions
Direct the HHS Secretary to develop and issue Food as Medicine guidance to states and counties to aid in the implementation, planning, and expansion of Food as Medicine programs
Require a report to Congress from the HHS Secretary regarding the impact of Food as Medicine programs

Steven Chen, chief medical officer for Alameda County Recipe4Health, said: “Alameda County Recipe4Health applauds Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s leadership to amplify the benefits of Food as Medicine through equitable sourcing, which will ensure multiple benefits such as healthy soil, nutritious food, a healthy economy, healthy people, and a healthy planet for all.

“The National Food as Medicine Program Act will prioritize food grown regeneratively and organically by a diverse group of local and regional farmers. Patients with limited financial resources will be prescribed high quality nutrient-dense food by their health care teams to treat and prevent chronic conditions and food insecurity.

“Local farmers, farmworkers, food hubs, and community-based organizations in rural and urban America will have new economic incentives to grow and provide nutritious vegetables, fruit, and meals to benefit their communities,” Chen said.

“At Alameda Health System, we commend and stand with Congresswoman Barbara Lee in her efforts to champion the vital role of Food as Medicine and promote equitable access to healthy and nutritious food,” said James Jackson, CEO of Alameda Health System. “Food insecurity disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color. In Alameda County, we have partnered with the Alameda County Health and community farmers to address those health disparities by offering patients a prescription for healthy, nutritious, locally grown foods. communities.”

Alameda County Health Director Colleen Chawla said she was incredibly grateful to Lee for her unwavering support of their Food as Medicine Program, Recipe4Health. Alameda County has been a leader in the Food as Medicine space for years, and Recipe4Health is a prime example of how innovative programs can reduce food insecurity and improve health outcomes.

Nico Ballón is a member of the staff of Rep. Barbara Lee’s media relations office.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Is Your Child Going to Kindergarten a Year From Now?: Make the Move Together

Don't Miss

30X30 Initiative Brings Bay Area Police Chiefs, Sheriffs, and D.A.s to Oakland to Recruit Women to Law Enforcement Careers

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Asm. Corey Jackson Proposes Safe Parking for Homeless College Students Sleeping in Cars

Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), is the author of AB 90, which would require community colleges and California State University campuses to create overnight parking programs where students can sleep safely in their vehicles. With one in four community college students in California experiencing homelessness in the past year, Jackson says the state must act urgently.

Published

6 hours ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Corey Jackson. File photo.

By Bo Tefu
California Black Media

As California’s housing crisis continues to impact students, new legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 90, promises to allow college students without stable housing to sleep in their cars on campus, offering a stark but practical solution aimed at immediate relief.

“This just deals with the harsh realities that we find ourselves in,” he said at a recent hearing.

The bill passed its first committee vote and is gaining attention as housing affordability remains a top concern across the state. California rents are more than 30% above the national average, and long waitlists for student housing have left thousands in limbo. CSU reported more than 4,000 students on its housing waitlist last year.

Supporters stress that the bill is not a long-term solution, but a humane step toward helping students who have no other place to go. A successful pilot program at Long Beach City College has already shown that safe, supervised overnight parking can work, giving students access to restrooms, Wi-Fi, and a secure environment.

However, the CSU and community college systems oppose the bill, citing funding concerns. Critics also worry about safety and oversight. But Jackson and student advocates argue the crisis demands bold action.

“If we know students are already sleeping in their cars, why not help them do it safely?” said Ivan Hernandez, president of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

Published

9 hours ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing, just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Barbara Lee Accepts Victory With “Responsibility, Humility and Love”

“I accept your choice with a deep sense of responsibility, humility, and love. Oakland is a deeply divided City,” Lee said in an April 19 statement. “I answered the call to run to unite our community, so that I can represent every voter, and we can all work together as One Oakland to solve our most pressing problems.”

Published

9 hours ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌,
California‌ ‌Black‌ ‌Media‌

As a candidate for mayor, former U.S. Representative Barbara Lee released a “10-point plan” last week to reassure residents that she will tackle Oakland’s most pressing challenges.

Now that she has edged out her competitors in the ranked-choice special election with 50% or more of the vote, the former Congresswoman, who represented parts of the Bay Area in the U.S. House of Representatives, can put her vision in motion as the city’s first Black woman mayor.

On Saturday evening, Taylor conceded to Lee. There are still about 300 Vote-by-Mail ballots left to be verified, according to county election officials. The ballots will be processed on April 21 and April 22.

“This morning, I called Congresswoman Barbara Lee to congratulate her on becoming the next Mayor of Oakland,” Taylor said in a statement.

“I pray that Mayor-Elect Lee fulfills her commitment to unify Oakland by authentically engaging the 47% of Oaklanders who voted for me and who want pragmatic, results-driven leadership.”

The influential Oakland Post endorsed Lee’s campaign, commending her leadership on the local, state, and federal levels.

Paul Cobb, The Post’s publisher, told California Black Media that Lee will bring back “respect and accountability” to the mayor’s office.

“She is going to be a collegial leader drawing on the advice of community nonprofit organizations and those who have experience in dealing with various issues,” Cobb said. “She’s going to try to do a consensus-building thing among those who know the present problems that face the city.”

Born in El Paso, Texas, Lee’s family moved to California while she was in high school. At 20 years old, Lee divorced her husband after the birth of her first child. After the split, Lee went through a tough period, becoming homeless and having to apply for public assistance to make ends meet.

But destitution did not deter the young woman.

Lee groomed herself to become an activist and advocate in Oakland and committed to standing up for the most vulnerable citizens in her community.

Lee traveled to Washington, D.C. to work for then U.S. Congressman Ron Dellums after receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mills College in Oakland in 1973. Lee later won a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) fellowship to attend the School of Social Welfare, and she earned a Master of Social Work from the University of California-Berkeley in 1975.

Lee later served in the California State Assembly and State Senate before she was elected to Congress in 1998.

After serving in the U.S. Congress for more than 25 years, Lee ran unsuccessfully for California’s U.S. Senate in the 2024 primary election.

Lee joins current Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass and former San Francisco Mayor London Breed as Black women serving as chief executives of major cities in California over the last few years.