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John,
On the heels of painfully restricting SNAP and TANF, and cutting funds used for housing, child care, and other programs, House Republicans are now attempting to cut $800 million from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Here’s what that cut means: they’re taking food away from babies, toddlers, and pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding parents. The House GOP’s plan is to gut the benefit for fruits and vegetables put in place based on recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences―cutting benefits for 1.5 million parents and 3.5 million children ages 1-4.1
The cuts are steep: for 1-4 year olds, the monthly allotment for fruits and vegetables drops from $25 to $11; for breastfeeding participants, it drops from $49 to $15. Overall, the $800 million cut slices off 19% of WIC food benefits.
The attacks on families and children must stop. Taking away critical nutrition from pregnant, postpartum parents and small children is an abomination. Join us in calling on the House to block any proposed cuts to WIC in the appropriations bill.
Taking away access to fruits and vegetables makes no sense scientifically or morally. The United States is the wealthiest nation on Earth and we have more than enough to ensure that every pregnant and postpartum person and young child not only has enough healthy fruits and vegetables, but has enough food period.
And while extremists in the House want to take away nutritional assistance from young children and their parents, they are moving legislation to give billions of dollars in tax breaks to wealthy corporations.
President Biden often says: “Show me your budget and I’ll show you what you value.” Well the right-wing has shown us what they value and it’s not families with small children. We must come together and put pressure on the House to vote down these dangerous cuts once and for all.
Click here to write a letter to your representative urging them to oppose any and all cuts to WIC.
Thank you for all you do to protect vulnerable families and children,
Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs
1 House Republicans’ Agriculture Appropriations Bill Would Cut WIC Benefits for 5 Million Participants, Put SNAP Benefits at Risk for 1 Million Older Adults
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