WASHINGTON—Early Thursday morning, House Republicans passed their multi-trillion-dollar budget reconciliation bill following overnight debate. The legislation includes significant funding reductions and program changes to Medicaid and SNAP.
In response, National WIC Association (NWA) President & CEO Georgia Machell issued the following statement:
“We are deeply concerned by the passage of a budget reconciliation bill that undermines critical health and nutrition programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Millions of families rely on these programs to stay healthy and put food on the table. At a time when we should be working together to build a healthier nation for our children, this bill takes us backward by stripping away essential healthcare and nutrition assistance from those who need it most.
“When families lose Medicaid and SNAP, they face even greater barriers to accessing WIC’s critical nutrition support. These programs work hand-in-hand to ensure children and families thrive, and these harmful cuts will only deepen hardship.
“Medicaid ensures that millions of families can access affordable healthcare, covering more than 40% of births in the U.S. Nearly 80% of WIC participants depend on Medicaid, yet the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that 7.6 million people would lose coverage under this bill. Many eligible families could be denied care due to unnecessary red tape, including more frequent eligibility checks and shorter retroactive coverage periods. States that have expanded healthcare for immigrants, including children and pregnant and postpartum women, could face penalties or be forced to revoke coverage, leaving families without the care they depend on."
“At the same time, this bill proposes the largest SNAP cuts in history, threatening food security for more than 40 million people, half of whom are households with children. More than a quarter of WIC participants also rely on SNAP, and these cuts could cause 18 million children to lose access to free school meals.
“We cannot build a stronger future for America’s families by dismantling the programs they rely on. We urge Congress to reject cuts to programs that help America’s families and invest in solutions that strengthen our nation’s health and nutrition infrastructure.”