Ranking Member Scott Applauds USDA for Expanding Access to Healthy Foods for WIC Participants
WASHINGTON – Today, on the 50th anniversary year of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Agriculture released the final rule that would better align WIC food packages, address disparities, and increase access to healthy foods.
“The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is vital for the healthy development of infants, children, and pregnant and postpartum women. The final rule, released by the Department of Agriculture today, will help improve WIC participants access to healthy food by better aligning the food available to participants with the latest science-backed dietary guidelines. The final rule also ensures that supplemental foods can be tailored to accommodate cultural food preferences and special dietary needs. This is particularly important given that the WIC program is in a unique position to improve the health outcomes of low-income families and communities of color, who are often disproportionally impacted by food insecurity and diet-related chronic disease.
“We know that the nutritional needs of the more than 6 million WIC participants are not one-size-fits-all. Today’s final rule implements evidence-based strategies to better address families’ individual dietary and cultural needs.”
In February 2023, Ranking Members Scott (VA-03) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture in support of the proposed WIC Food Packages rule.
Ranking Member Scott has also written several letters to Congressional leadership about the urgent need to fully fund WIC (read here, here, and here) and released a Committee report entitled, “On the Brink: The Case for Permanently and Fully Funding the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC).”
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