U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI) on June 23 cosponsored a bipartisan bill that would authorize a program of the U.S. Department of Defense to promote early literacy among certain young children as part of their pediatric primary care.
“The young children of our active duty service members deserve access to the best and most comprehensive care,” Rep. Meijer said. “We have seen the tremendous health benefits of early literacy promotion throughout our communities, and I am proud to join this bipartisan effort to provide these resources for children who are receiving their primary care at military facilities.”
The Children’s Literacy Initiative on Military Bases (CLIMB) Act of 2022, H.R. 8208, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), specifically would provide age-appropriate books to children twice a year during their wellness checks at ages 0-5, according to the text of H.R. 8208.
“We must invest wisely in our military families and their children. We ask so much of our men and women in uniform,” said Rep. Houlahan. “We owe it to them to consistently deliver on our promise to support them by ensuring their children are developing the literacy skills they need to set them up for success down the road.”
H.R. 8208 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Armed Services Committee.