H.R. 5740: WIC Benefits Protection Act

Introduced Oct 10, 202598 cosponsors

Sponsor

Robert Scott

Democrat · VA-3

Bill Progress

IntroducedOct 10

Committee

Pass House

Pass Senate

Signed

Law

Latest Action · Oct 10, 2025

1/3

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

WIC funding isn't guaranteed. This bill would change that.

4 min readLast updated May 16, 2026

Why it matters

WIC is one of the few major nutrition programs that isn't guaranteed. It runs on money Congress sets aside each year, so when a budget standoff hits or funding falls short, states can put eligible mothers and babies on waiting lists. H.R. 5740 would end that by making WIC funding automatic and permanent from the Treasury starting in fiscal year 2026.

H.R. 5740 changes three things about how WIC works, and they all point the same direction.

First, it swaps one word: today the law says the Agriculture Department "may" carry out WIC. The bill changes that to "shall." Running the program stops being optional.

H.R. 5740 Bill Summary

What H.R. 5740 actually does.

Eligible families couldn't be turned away for lack of money

The bill strikes the language that limits participation and pairs it with guaranteed funding, so people who meet WIC's rules would be entitled to participate rather than served only up to that year's appropriation.

Running WIC becomes mandatory, not optional

The Agriculture Department currently 'may' carry out WIC; the bill changes that to 'shall,' making operation of the program a legal requirement.

Treasury funds it automatically every year

Instead of relying on annual spending bills, the bill appropriates 'such sums as are necessary' directly from the Treasury for fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding year.

No dollar cap and no expiration

The funding language sets no maximum amount and no sunset date, so the commitment continues year after year unless Congress changes the law again.

Who benefits from H.R. 5740?

Pregnant and postpartum women on WIC

If you depend on WIC during pregnancy or after giving birth, the bill is built to keep those benefits steady even when Washington is fighting over the budget.

Infants and young children in WIC households

Families using WIC for formula, baby food, milk, eggs, and produce would be relying on a program the federal government is legally required to keep funded and running.

Families who've faced or fear a waiting list

If a funding gap has ever cut off your benefits or you worry it could, the core change here is certainty: qualifying would no longer depend on money being left in the budget.

State WIC agencies

State administrators would get a predictable federal funding stream instead of planning each year around an appropriation that might shrink or stall.

Who is affected by H.R. 5740?

Congressional appropriators

Lawmakers would give up the yearly control they currently have over WIC's funding level, since the bill moves the program to automatic mandatory spending.

Congressional budget scorekeepers

CBO and budget analysts would have to estimate the long-term cost of an open-ended commitment to fund whatever amount WIC needs each year.

The Agriculture Department

The department would carry a clear legal duty to operate WIC nationwide rather than running it under discretionary 'may' language.

Future federal budgets

Because the bill sets no cap, federal costs would rise or fall with how many eligible families actually use WIC rather than with a preset spending level.

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On the Record

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

1 actions

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)

No new cosponsors in 72 days — momentum stalled

All 98 cosponsors are Democrats. Cosponsors represent 31 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, and 28 more.

98Democrats·31 states

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

16D20R

|13 signed23 not yet

13 of 36 committee members cosponsored

3 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents

H.R. 5740 Quick Facts

Cosponsors

+93 more

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

Constituent Resources

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Get notified when this bill moves

Official Sources

H.R. 5740 on Congress.gov

Official congressional page for the WIC Benefits Protection Act with status, full text, cosponsors, and actions.

USDA WIC Program

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.

USDA WIC Eligibility

Official USDA page describing current WIC eligibility rules, relevant because the bill rewrites eligibility wording without changing who actually qualifies.

USDA WIC Frequently Asked Questions

Official USDA FAQ page explaining how WIC works, who can apply, and how benefits are delivered under current law.

FNS-101: WIC Program Overview

Official USDA primer on WIC, including how the program is currently funded through annual appropriations — the funding model this bill would replace.

USDA WIC Benefits

Official USDA page detailing the food packages, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support WIC families receive.

Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. 1786

Official U.S. Code text of Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act — the exact statute H.R. 5740 amends.

USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Official USDA agency site for the Food and Nutrition Service, the department the bill would obligate to operate WIC nationwide.

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H.R. 5740 Common Questions

What would H.R. 5740 actually change about WIC?

Three things: the Agriculture Department would have to run WIC instead of just being allowed to, eligible people would be entitled to participate instead of served only up to funding, and the Treasury would fund it automatically every year starting in fiscal year 2026.

Isn't WIC funding already guaranteed?

No. Unlike SNAP or Medicaid, WIC isn't a guaranteed entitlement — it runs on money Congress sets aside each year. When that money runs short or a shutdown hits, states can cap enrollment or start waiting lists. H.R. 5740 is meant to end that.

Would H.R. 5740 stop WIC waiting lists?

That's the goal. By guaranteeing the money and removing the language that limits participation when funds run low, the bill is designed so eligible families aren't turned away because the program ran out of budget.

Does H.R. 5740 change who qualifies for WIC?

No. The bill rewrites the eligibility wording, but it doesn't add new groups, raise income limits, or create new age categories. The same people qualify — the change is that qualifying families couldn't be turned away for lack of funding.

Is there a dollar limit on the WIC funding?

No. The bill funds "such sums as are necessary," so there's no fixed cap. The actual cost each year would depend on how many eligible families use WIC and what their benefits cost.

When would the changes take effect?

The automatic Treasury funding would begin in fiscal year 2026 and continue every year after that. There's no expiration date in the bill, so it would stay in place unless Congress changed the law later.

Does H.R. 5740 have a realistic chance of passing?

It faces a steep climb. All 98 cosponsors are Democrats, and turning WIC into mandatory spending is a much bigger budget commitment than funding it yearly. It's in the House Education and Workforce Committee and would likely need a CBO score before moving.

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