Blumenthal & Alsobrooks Introduce Bill to Extend WIC Eligibility for New Moms

[Hartford, CT] - Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) introduced the Extending WIC for New Moms Act, a bicameral bill to expand eligibility and support mothers and infants into the postpartum and breastfeeding periods through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs. This legislation extends WIC eligibility in the postpartum period from 6 months to 24 months and in the breastfeeding period from 12 months to 24 months.

Cosponsors include U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).

"This critical legislation extends WIC eligibility for breastfeeding and postpartum mothers to improve maternal and infant health outcomes." said Blumenthal. "Lack of access to nutritious food has serious impacts on a child's health and development. With the Extending WIC for New Moms Act, we will support vulnerable families and strengthen their ability to grow, thrive, and stay healthy."

"For children in low-income homes, food scarcity can impact their overall health for the rest of their lives. After Republicans decimated food assistance programs like SNAP in their 'big, beautiful bill,' we need to re-double our efforts to support vulnerable new moms to ensure their families are able to grow and thrive together. Extending WIC eligibility for mothers in postpartum and breastfeeding periods just makes sense and is a critical part of our plan to improve maternal and child health," said Alsobrooks.

"No mother should be cut off from essential nutritional support just months after giving birth-especially when the postpartum and breastfeeding periods are among the most critical windows for both maternal and infant health," said Booker. "This legislation extends nutritional support, so mothers can continue receiving nutrition assistance and care for up to two years after childbirth. Congress has a duty to ensure all mothers and babies have the support they need to stay healthy."

"Access to nutritious food in the earliest stages of life is essential to a child's health and development. WIC is a proven lifeline for families, but we must do more to support mothers beyond their first few months after childbirth. Extending WIC eligibility-for both breast-feeding and formula-fed babies-is a commonsense step to improve maternal health and give every child a stronger start," Durbin said. "I'm cosponsoring the Extending WIC for New Moms Act to provide more comprehensive health care for mothers and their babies, improving their health outcomes across the United States."

"We should be doing everything we can to ensure families have what they need to keep their babies fed and healthy-instead, Donald Trump is focused on building a ballroom for his billionaire buddies and starting the kind of taxpayer-funded forever wars he promised to get us out of while American families struggle," said Duckworth. "Extending WIC eligibility during the critical postpartum and breastfeeding months is a simple way to ensure moms and babies get the nutrition they need to thrive. I'm proud to introduce this legislation to support young families through the often overwhelming moments of becoming a new parent."

WIC is a critical federal program to provide supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum people, as well as infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk.

Data on WIC's effectiveness show the benefits of the program for moms and babies: pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding WIC participants have lower likelihoods of pregnancy-related risk factors, lower risk of preterm birth, and lower risk of low-birthweight infants. Maternal WIC participation is also associated with reductions in infant mortality and improved nutrition and health outcomes for infants and children. By extending eligibility for WIC in the postpartum and breastfeeding periods, the Extending WIC for New Moms Act will make sure the nutritional needs of moms and babies are met, improving maternal and child health outcomes and advancing birth equity across the United States.

Congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-Ga.-06) is introducing this legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Read full bill text here.

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