February 10, 2010
Subject:
TELL CONGRESS -- WITHOUT $6 BILLION, WIC MOMS AND KIDS WILL BE CUT FROM THE PROGRAM!
Dear
Funding for WIC – the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, is in serious jeopardy. Without $6 billion in funding WIC will have to cut over 560,000 moms and young children from the program. For more than a decade, Congress and succeeding administrations have honored a longstanding bipartisan commitment to provide enough WIC funds to serve all eligible mothers and children who apply. This year is different. We are facing a final outcome for fiscal year 2008 WIC funding that could require states to begin cutting more than 560,000 moms and children from the program as early as February. Economic circumstances well beyond the program’s control including a souring economy, rising food cost inflation, growing caseload, and frozen funding at fiscal year 2006 levels (under the current continuing resolution) have created this problem. I understand that Congress is developing an omnibus appropriations bill. I am writing to ask you to ensure that $6 billion in WIC funds are provided in that bill to protect WIC and serve all eligible applicants. If Congress funds WIC at the level proposed by the President, our state will be forced to cut (insert # from table) eligible moms and young children from the program. WIC has a documented track record of contributing to healthier pregnancies and birth outcomes, improving children’s health, growth and development and preventing health problems. WIC children enter school Ready to Learn and show better cognitive performance. As the nation’s premier public health nutrition program, WIC is a cost-effective, sound investment – insuring the health of our children. WIC currently serves about 8.5 million mothers, infants and children – nearly half of all America’s infants and one-quarter of its children 1–5 years of age. We urge you to provide $6 billion for WIC to ensure that no eligible mothers and children are turned away. Yours truly,
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