H.R. 5740: WIC Benefits Protection Act
Sponsor
Robert Scott
Democrat · VA-3
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Oct 10, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
WIC benefits shouldn't depend on budget fights
Why it matters
WIC serves pregnant women, babies, and young children, but Congress still funds it through yearly spending decisions. H.R. 5740 would change that by making WIC a permanent federal funding obligation starting in fiscal year 2026.
H.R. 5740 would move WIC away from the annual appropriations process and into automatic federal funding. Instead of Congress deciding each year how much to provide, the bill says the government must fund the program in whatever amount is necessary starting in fiscal year 2026.
It also changes the law so the Agriculture Department is required to run WIC, not merely allowed to. In plain English, that means the program would become an ongoing federal obligation rather than a program that still depends on yearly budget negotiations.
The bill does not expand WIC to new categories of people, set a new income limit, or name a dollar amount. What it does is lock in the commitment: if you qualify for WIC under existing rules, the federal government would have to keep the program funded and operating.
H.R. 5740 Bill Summary
What H.R. 5740 actually does.
WIC becomes a federal must, not a yearly maybe
H.R. 5740 changes the law so the Agriculture Department must carry out WIC, making the program an ongoing federal responsibility.
Funding continues automatically each year
The bill provides Treasury funding in whatever amount is necessary for fiscal year 2026 and every year after that, instead of relying only on annual appropriations bills.
No fixed cap and no sunset date
The text does not set a maximum dollar amount or an expiration date. The funding language continues for 2026 and each succeeding fiscal year.
Current eligibility categories stay in place
The bill rewrites some eligibility wording, but it does not add new groups, new age bands, or new income thresholds in the text provided.
Who benefits from H.R. 5740?
Pregnant and postpartum women who use WIC
If you're relying on WIC during pregnancy or after giving birth, H.R. 5740 is meant to make those benefits less vulnerable to annual budget fights.
Infants and young children in WIC households
Families using WIC for formula, baby food, milk, cereal, and produce would benefit from a program the federal government is required to keep running.
State WIC agencies planning year to year
State administrators would get a more predictable federal funding stream because the bill promises whatever funding is necessary each year starting in fiscal year 2026.
Eligible families who worry about benefit disruptions
The main benefit is certainty. If you qualify under existing WIC rules, the bill is designed to reduce the risk that funding gaps interrupt the program.
Who is affected by H.R. 5740?
Congress and appropriators
Lawmakers would give up some yearly control over WIC funding because H.R. 5740 shifts the program toward automatic mandatory funding.
Federal budget scorekeepers
Congressional budget analysts would need to estimate the long-term cost of funding WIC in whatever amount is necessary each year.
The Agriculture Department
The department would be under a clearer legal obligation to operate WIC nationwide rather than depending on discretionary wording.
Taxpayers and budget writers in future years
Because the bill sets no cap, future federal costs would rise or fall with actual WIC demand rather than with a preset appropriation level.
What Congress Is Saying
H.R. 5740 hasn't been debated on the floor yet.
This section updates when a legislator speaks about it on the floor or in committee.
HR5740 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Oct 10, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
About the Sponsor
Robert Scott
Democrat, Virginia's 3rd congressional district · 33 years in Congress
Committees: Education and Workforce, the Budget
View full profile →
Cosponsors (98)
All 98 cosponsors are Democrats. Cosponsors represent 31 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, and 28 more.
Suzanne Bonamici
Democrat · OR
James Walkinshaw
Democrat · VA
Val Hoyle
Democrat · OR
Danny Davis
Democrat · IL
Nydia Velázquez
Democrat · NY
Yassamin Ansari
Democrat · AZ
Eleanor Norton
Democrat · DC
Wesley Bell
Democrat · MO
Robin Kelly
Democrat · IL
Jahana Hayes
Democrat · CT
LaMonica McIver
Democrat · NJ
Summer Lee
Democrat · PA
Committee Sponsors
Education and Workforce Committee
13 of 36 committee members cosponsored
3 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 5740 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Education and Workforce
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Agriculture and Food
- Introduced
- Oct 10, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Oct 10, 2025
Official Sources
Official congressional page for the WIC Benefits Protection Act with status, text, and actions.
Official USDA Food and Nutrition Service page for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children that the bill would make permanently funded.
Official U.S. Code page for the WIC statute section that H.R. 5740 amends.
Official USDA agency site that administers WIC and related nutrition assistance programs.
Official USDA FAQ page explaining how WIC works, who qualifies, and how benefits are delivered under current law.
Official USDA page describing current WIC eligibility rules, useful because the bill does not substantially expand who qualifies.
H.R. 5740 Common Questions
What would H.R. 5740 change for WIC funding?
It would make WIC automatically funded from the Treasury in whatever amount is necessary starting in fiscal year 2026, instead of relying only on annual spending bills.
Would H.R. 5740 make WIC permanent?
Functionally, yes. H.R. 5740 funds WIC for fiscal year 2026 and every year after that, with no end date written into the bill text provided.
Does H.R. 5740 set a dollar cap on WIC?
No. The bill uses "such sums as are necessary," which means it does not set a fixed cap in the text provided.
Would Congress still vote on WIC every year?
Not in the same way. H.R. 5740 shifts WIC to automatic funding, so the program would no longer depend on Congress passing a new annual appropriation to keep it operating.
Does H.R. 5740 expand who qualifies for WIC?
No. The bill changes some eligibility wording, but the text provided does not add new groups, new income limits, or new age categories.
When would the new WIC funding start?
The bill says the automatic funding would begin in fiscal year 2026 and continue each year after that.
Would H.R. 5740 require the government to keep running WIC?
Yes. The bill changes the law so the Agriculture Department shall carry out WIC, making the program a required federal responsibility.
Based on H.R. 5740 bill text
H.R. 5740 Bill Text
“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.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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