WC Wisconsin News

Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Josh Harder have introduced a new bill, the Protecting Mothers and Infants' Access to Milk Act, aimed at restoring the maximum monthly allowance of milk for families using the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to previous levels.

Rep. Van Orden shared his personal experience, stating, “While I was overseas defending our nation as a Navy SEAL, my wife was using WIC coupons to feed our children because a junior enlisted servicemember’s salary could not support a family.” He emphasized the importance of milk for child development and expressed pride in introducing this bill to help families provide for their children.

Rep. Harder also voiced his concerns: “As a dad and a consumer, it’s absurd to me that the government would choose to limit parents’ ability to buy healthy milk for their kids.” He highlighted that this bipartisan effort aims to restore choice for families in grocery stores while supporting local dairy farmers.

The introduction of this legislation follows changes made by the Biden Administration in April 2024. The administration finalized a rule titled “Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Revisions in the WIC Food Packages,” which reduced the amount of milk available to WIC participants. This rule took effect on June 17, 2024. Concerns have been raised about its negative impact on the health of babies, mothers, and families involved with WIC. Notably, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, approximately 90 percent of the U.S. population does not meet recommended dairy consumption levels.