WASHINGTON, DC – On Sunday, the Senate Appropriations Committee released bill text of a three-bill minibus, including the Agriculture Appropriations bill, which funds the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The proposal includes $8.2 billion for WIC and refills the contingency fund at the pre-shutdown level of $150 million. Importantly, the bill rejects proposed cuts to the fruit and vegetable benefit, a critical nutrition support for young children, that was included in the House proposal and the President's budget. This is a significant victory for the National WIC Association (NWA) and the WIC community. The bill also includes a provision that would require states to provide higher fluid milk amounts for FY 2026 to align with the quantities in food packages prior to the new food package rule. Additionally, it requires the USDA to study a potential "Buy American" requirement for SNAP and WIC.
The committee report calls for the USDA to report on the implementation of recommendations from the 2024 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's study on infant formula and to evaluate changes in infant formula rebates since 2022, ensuring that rebates continue to meet program needs. It also encourages guidance to states on offering more fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruit and vegetable options in WIC food packages.
The following is a statement from Georgia Machell, President and CEO of NWA:
“The National WIC Association applauds congressional appropriators for advancing a bipartisan bill that fully funds WIC and rejects the proposed cuts to the fruit and vegetable benefit that were included in the President’s budget proposal and House bill.
“Now, the Senate and House must come together on a bipartisan basis to pass this funding package and restore stability for WIC and other essential federal programs. We appreciate the emergency funds provided to WIC by the Trump administration. However, SNAP funding interruptions are creating confusion and strain for families and WIC clinics, which are not equipped to replace SNAP. Further, operating WIC with the short-term funding patches we have seen since October 1 has taken a significant toll on WIC programs, including critical staff, whose own livelihoods have become uncertain.
“Families across America deserve certainty. Congress should finalize this bipartisan agreement without delay so WIC can remain a dependable support for pregnant people, parents, babies, and young children.”