MODERN WIC Act of 2025
- Sponsor
- Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
- Committees
- Education and Workforce Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Feb 21, 2025
Bottom line
The bill modernizes WIC program access by expanding options for remote certification and benefit delivery, aiming to reduce barriers to participation for eligible families.
What it actually does
This bill amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to allow State agencies administering the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to offer certifications, recertifications, and nutritional risk evaluations via telephone, video, or other two-way real-time interactive communications, in addition to in-person appointments. It also permits the remote issuance of WIC food instruments, such as EBT cards, and mandates a report to Congress on the use and impact of remote technologies in the program.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue that expanding remote options for WIC certification and benefit issuance will significantly improve access for eligible families, particularly those in rural areas, with transportation challenges, or with inflexible work schedules, thereby increasing program participation and ensuring more women, infants, and children receive vital nutritional support.
Opponents contend
Critics might express concerns that remote certifications could potentially lead to increased fraud or reduce the quality of personalized nutritional counseling that in-person appointments often provide, or that the collection of anthropometric data might be delayed, impacting accurate nutritional risk assessment.
The bill is concise and straightforward, making it highly accessible for a reader to understand its core provisions quickly.
Section 2(a)
Remote Certification and Recertification Options
This provision amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to explicitly allow WIC State agencies to offer appointments for certification, recertification, and nutritional risk evaluations via telephone, video technology, or other two-way real-time interactive communications, in addition to traditional in-person options. It mandates ADA compliance for all formats and sets deadlines for collecting anthropometric data for virtual certifications.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that this provision removes significant barriers to WIC participation, such as transportation issues, childcare costs, and time off work, making it easier for eligible families to access crucial nutrition benefits and support.
Critics contend
Some might argue that relying heavily on remote certifications could diminish the quality of in-person interactions, potentially missing subtle cues about a participant's needs or making it harder to build rapport, and that delayed anthropometric data collection might hinder immediate, accurate nutritional risk assessment.
Tradeoffs
Balances the need for increased access and convenience with the importance of comprehensive in-person nutritional assessment and data collection, introducing interim eligibility to bridge potential delays.
Section 2(a)(2)(B)(iv)
Temporary Eligibility Before Full Nutritional Risk Evaluation
This provision allows WIC State agencies to grant temporary eligibility to applicants who meet income standards, certifying them for participation immediately without waiting for a full nutritional risk evaluation. The full evaluation must be completed not later than 90 days after certification, and certification terminates if data isn't collected or if the individual is later found not to meet nutritional risk criteria.
Section 3(a)
Remote Delivery of Food Instruments
This provision amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to explicitly permit WIC State agencies to deliver food instruments, including electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, through means that do not require participants to travel to a local agency, such as mailing or remote issuance. It also directs the Secretary to revise regulations to remove a specific paragraph related to mail issuance.
Section 4
Congressional Report on Remote Technology Use in WIC
This section mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture submit a report to specific Congressional committees within one year of the Act's enactment. The report must detail the use and impact of remote technologies (video, telephone, online platforms) for WIC certifications, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support, and identify best practices for integrating digital tools and securely managing participant data.