WASHINGTON, DC—On November 10, 2026, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a proposed rule that would effectively eliminate broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). According to the Department’s own analysis, the proposed rule would create new barriers to WIC for tens of thousands of families, and would cause more than 5,000 to lose their eligibility.
BBCE is a streamlining option that empowers states to enhance access to nutrition support by waiving income and asset tests at SNAP certification for families also participating in a TANF-funded program, including non-cash assistance. As a result, BBCE permits states to extend income eligibility for SNAP beyond the federal minimum. Families who participate in SNAP are automatically income-eligible for WIC.
The following is a statement from Georgia Machell, president and CEO of the National WIC Association (NWA):
“The proposed rule to eliminate Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility in SNAP represents another severe blow to our nation's nutrition safety net. As we have consistently warned policymakers, including last year as Congress considered SNAP restrictions, any move to tighten SNAP eligibility requirements creates a dangerous ripple effect that undermines WIC.
ldquo;WIC and SNAP work hand-in-hand to support low-income families. When a family is approved for SNAP, they are automatically eligible for WIC. This streamlined, common-sense connection cuts red tape for families and reduces administrative burdens for states. By stripping states of this flexibility, the proposed rule will not only deny families SNAP benefits but will also actively make it harder for them to access WIC. The result is a lose-lose scenario: Some families will be forced to navigate duplicative, complex paperwork, while others, particularly working families hovering just above a lower-income threshold, will lose their eligibility for WIC altogether.
While the Department estimates that 22,000 WIC participants will lose adjunctive eligibility through SNAP, with 5,500 losing eligibility altogether, this is likely an underestimation of the true impact. It is unclear how many of 16,500 individuals who would lose streamlined access to WIC will have the time and ability to undergo the WIC enrollment process despite qualifying for it. The rule would saddle families with unnecessary red tape, making it harder for them to access critical nutrition support for their young children.
“Additionally, his proposal adds to the historic and harmful SNAP cuts in H.R. 1, which already caused 6.3 million people to lose their SNAP benefits between January 2025 and July 2026. Layering yet another restriction on top of those cuts will only exacerbate the harm to millions of families at risk of food insecurity and adverse health outcomes. No family should face any barriers to meeting their basic nutrition needs.
“Access to WIC’s science-based nutrition services, breastfeeding support, and healthy foods is a critical lifeline. It improves birth outcomes, fosters child development, supports maternal health, and bolsters communities and local businesses. This access should be strengthened, not arbitrarily limited by policies that sever WIC’s vital connection to other anti-hunger programs.
“We strongly urge the Administration to withdraw this damaging proposal and work with states to strengthen, not weaken, the programs that help families thrive.”