Rep. Torres Introduces the Improving Access to WIC Act to Ease Access to Nutrition Support for Moms and Children
With More Than 4 in 10 WIC-eligible families Not Enrolled, Legislation Closes Gap by Helping States Strengthen Partnerships with Healthcare Providers, Lower Barriers to Participation, and Boost Outreach Efforts
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) introduced the Improving Access to WIC Act, legislation to make it easier to enroll in and stay connected to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). As families struggle with the ongoing affordability crisis, WIC helps feed mothers from the moment they find out they are pregnant to when their children are five years old. WIC not only helps moms access free, healthy foods, but also helps with breastfeeding support, nutrition education, and health resources.
Nearly 25,000 mothers, infants, and children benefit from WIC in California’s 35th Congressional District. Nationwide, in fiscal year 2025, WIC served 6.9 million participants every month. The program is proven to save lives and improve lifetime health outcomes. Despite this, the most recent data show that more than 4 in 10 eligible individuals do not participate in WIC, and WIC utilization is lower for pregnant mothers and 1- to 4-year-olds. This legislation will tackle this participation gap.
The Improving Access to WIC Act would establish a federal grant program for states, tribes, and territories to improve access to, participation in, and retention in WIC. States that opt into the program would receive flexible funding to help strengthen partnerships between WIC agencies and healthcare providers, modernize the enrollment experience, improve community outreach, and help enroll mothers and children on SNAP and Medicaid who already qualify for WIC but do not yet participate.
“WIC provides critical nutrition assistance to moms, babies, and young children, and getting enrolled should not mean jumping through unnecessary hoops,” said Congresswoman Torres. “Moms are already juggling doctor’s appointments, work, child care, and countless responsibilities. We should be making it easier, not harder, for eligible families to access the support they need. My Improving Access to WIC Act will help states integrate WIC enrollment with healthcare providers, reduce duplicative appointments and paperwork, and make it easier for families to enroll and stay on WIC.”
“Despite the incredible public health benefits of WIC, we are still reaching only a little more than half of eligible families. Investing in targeted outreach, data sharing, and healthcare linkages will make it easier for families who qualify to connect with WIC. We thank Rep. Torres for her leadership and support for WIC.” Georgia Machell, President & CEO, National WIC Association
“WIC is an evidence-based, time-limited program with proven positive outcomes for families and communities, yet there is a significant portion of eligible families not connected to services. Supporting innovative outreach methods and healthcare linkages to improve access to the program is an important investment. We appreciate Rep. Torres’s support for WIC and young families.” Megan Esparza, Executive Director, California WIC Association
“The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is one of the most critical tools pediatricians have to ensure infants and young children can receive proper nutrition support in their earliest years. The Improving Access to WIC Act would provide states with resources to make enrolling eligible families in WIC easier, more efficient, and more effective. The American Academy of Pediatrics thanks Representative Torres for introducing this important legislation and calls on Congress to advance it,” said Andrew D. Racine, MD, PhD, FAAP, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists has a long history of supporting the WIC program and is proud to endorse the Improving Access to WIC Act,” said ACOG President Camille A. Clare, MD, MPH, CPE. “Families are facing growing financial pressure, and putting healthy food on the table can be especially difficult during pregnancy and after a baby is born. With significant changes to SNAP under H.R. 1, making WIC easier to access is more important than ever. This bill would help eligible families get the nutrition support they need instead of getting stuck in red tape. ACOG thanks Rep. Norma Torres for her leadership and commitment to strengthening the WIC program.”
"WIC is a proven intervention that supports the health of women, babies, and young children. Yet far too many eligible families are missing out on the many benefits of the program. We applaud Rep. Torres for introducing the Improving Access to WIC Act. Establishing a federal grant program to help states improve access to and participation in WIC would make it easier for eligible families to connect with this critical support. We urge Members of Congress to co-sponsor this legislation, so more families are connected to the nutrition they need to thrive." - Crystal FitzSimons, President of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC).
The bill is supported by: National WIC Association (NWA), California WIC Association (CWA), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), Alliance to End Hunger, Coalition on Human Needs.
Bill Summary:
The Improving Access to WIC Act authorizes $50 million for Fiscal Years 2027 through 2031 for the grant program. States, tribes, and territories that choose to opt in would receive, to the maximum extent practicable, $200,000 and an additional amount based on each participating state’s national share of WIC participants.
The bill also requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to publicly report on the program’s outcomes, including its impact on WIC participation and retention, and share best practices that states can use to improve enrollment and access.
Under the legislation, participating states could use grant funding to:
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Connect more eligible families with WIC by:
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Improving outreach in clinical settings and building up systems to make it easier for doctors and health care providers to directly refer patients to WIC, including through statewide referral systems, and
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Expanding outreach in trusted community settings, including at Head Start and Early Head Start programs, preschools, schools, and other places to meet WIC-eligible families where they are.
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Improve secure data sharing between health care providers and WIC agencies to streamline WIC referrals and certification, while protecting privacy, requiring individual consent, and maintaining federal confidentiality protections.
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Reduce duplicative appointments and paperwork by making it easier for health care providers, consistent with applicable laws and with individuals’ consent, to securely provide WIC agencies with information such as height, weight, hemoglobin measurements (blood tests), and other documentation needed for WIC certification.
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Modernize the enrollment process, including by establishing or expanding online WIC applications.
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Help reach and enroll moms and children on Medicaid (Medi-Cal) or SNAP (CalFresh) who already qualify for WIC, but are not participating.
Original Cosponsors: Nanette Barragán (CA-44); Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01); Yvette Clarke (NY-09 ); Jim Costa (CA-21); Jasmine Crockett (TX-30); Chris Deluzio (PA-17); Debbie Dingell (MI-06); Sylvia Garcia (TX-29); Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04); Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07); Glenn Ivey (MD-04); Pramila Jayapal (WA-07); Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37); Robin Kelly (IL-02); Tim Kennedy (NY-26); Kelly Morrison (MN-03); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00); Chellie Pingree (ME-01); Lateefah Simon (CA-12); Melanie Stansbury (NM-01); Juan Vargas (CA-52);
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