October 10, 2025
Mr. Scott of Virginia (for himself, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Walkinshaw, Ms. Hoyle of Oregon, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Velázquez, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Norton, Mr. Bell, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mrs. Hayes, Mrs. McIver, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Ms. Simon, Ms. Ross, Ms. Adams, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Olszewski, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mrs. McClain Delaney, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Moulton, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Crockett, Ms. Brown, Mrs. Dingell, Mrs. McBath, Mr. Vindman, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Casar, Mr. Ivey, Ms. Omar, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Jacobs, Ms. Salinas, Ms. McClellan, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Elfreth, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Torres of New York, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. Amo, Ms. Leger Fernandez, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Morrison, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Rivas, and Mr. Garamendi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce
To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require mandatory funding for the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the WIC Benefits Protection Act
.
Sec. 2. Mandatory funding for WIC
(a) Program required
Section 17(c) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(c)) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking may carry out
and inserting shall carry out
;
(2)
in paragraph (2)—
(A)
by striking the matter preceding subparagraph (A); and
(B)
by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively;
(3)
in paragraph (2), as so redesignated—
(A)
by striking the Secretary
and inserting The Secretary
; and
(B)
by striking , and
and inserting a period; and
(4)
in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, by striking any State
and inserting Any State
.
(b) Eligibility
Section 17(d)(1) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(1)) is amended by striking Participation in the program under this section shall be limited to
and inserting Individuals who are eligible to participate in the program under this section shall be
.
(c) Appropriations
Section 17(g) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(g)) is amended—
(1)
in the heading, by striking Authorization of
; and
(2)
by amending subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) to read as follows:
(A) Appropriations
In addition to amounts otherwise available, there are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding fiscal year.