WIC Association opposes special WIC funding bill
October 04, 2013 | 04:28 PM
House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., has introduced a bill that would fund the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, through the duration of the government shutdown, but the National WIC Association has expressed opposition to the bill.
The bill is expected to be considered on the House floor today.
Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., introduced a similar bill on Thursday, and a spokeswoman said today he would support the Aderholt bill.
“Just as troops and their families shouldn't be used as political pawns in the Senate Democrats’ government shutdown, neither should women and children who benefit from WIC,” said Cotton, who is running for the Senate against Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Mark Pryor, D-Ark.
“The WIC program provides support to women and children across Arkansas, and they shouldn’t suffer because Senate Democrats have closed down the government to protect their special Obamacare exemption,” Cotton said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House to pass this legislation and send it to the Senate for prompt action.”
But the National WIC Association, which represents state WIC directors, called the bill “a cynical ploy to use low-income nutritionally at-risk mothers and young children as political pawns for political ends.”
Noting that WIC has sufficient funds to operate through October, the group said Congress has “more than sufficient time” to pass a “clean” continuing resolution followed by the already marked-up full year fiscal year 2014 House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations bills to fund WIC and the other critical child nutrition programs through the end of the 2014 fiscal year.
“NWA urges Congress to end the uncertainty that exists in our fiscal environment and the already challenged lives of vulnerable mothers and young children by responsibly discharging and fulfilling its moral obligations to the nation,” the group added.
“NWA will not tolerate efforts to leverage the nutritional health and well-being of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, their babies, and young children to satisfy the political ends or strategies of policymakers.”
The bill is expected to be considered on the House floor today.
Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., introduced a similar bill on Thursday, and a spokeswoman said today he would support the Aderholt bill.
“Just as troops and their families shouldn't be used as political pawns in the Senate Democrats’ government shutdown, neither should women and children who benefit from WIC,” said Cotton, who is running for the Senate against Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Mark Pryor, D-Ark.
“The WIC program provides support to women and children across Arkansas, and they shouldn’t suffer because Senate Democrats have closed down the government to protect their special Obamacare exemption,” Cotton said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House to pass this legislation and send it to the Senate for prompt action.”
But the National WIC Association, which represents state WIC directors, called the bill “a cynical ploy to use low-income nutritionally at-risk mothers and young children as political pawns for political ends.”
Noting that WIC has sufficient funds to operate through October, the group said Congress has “more than sufficient time” to pass a “clean” continuing resolution followed by the already marked-up full year fiscal year 2014 House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations bills to fund WIC and the other critical child nutrition programs through the end of the 2014 fiscal year.
“NWA urges Congress to end the uncertainty that exists in our fiscal environment and the already challenged lives of vulnerable mothers and young children by responsibly discharging and fulfilling its moral obligations to the nation,” the group added.
“NWA will not tolerate efforts to leverage the nutritional health and well-being of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, their babies, and young children to satisfy the political ends or strategies of policymakers.”
