National WIC Association

Weekly WIC Policy Update

December 23, 2019

Last week, both houses of Congress passed two spending packages that appropriated approximately $1.4 trillion in federal spending for fiscal year 2020. The two measures were largely divided between defense and domestic programs. WIC funding was included in the domestic package, which funded WIC at $6 billion.

The House passed the domestic spending package, which included WIC funding, on Tuesday by a vote of 297-120. The Senate passed the measure on Thursday by a vote of 71-23. On Friday night, the President signed the bill. 

The spending measure realizes the full expansion of WIC's Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program, appropriating the $90 million authorized amount included in the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010. This expansion - increasing funding by $30 million - will ensure that more pregnant women and mothers can access WIC's effective peer support. NWA led the broader nutrition community in fighting for this increase, which was championed by House Democrats throughout the appropriations process.

Congress has now completed its work for fiscal year 2020. The next appropriations cycle will begin in February after the release of the President's budget. NWA will update members with additional information when Congress begins to consider fiscal year 2021 appropriations.