Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2027

Floor Speech

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Ms. BYNUM. Madam Chair, I can't say that I am surprised that my Republican colleagues want to cut yet another resource to help women and children get food.

This bill reduces the fruit and vegetable benefit for mothers and young children under WIC, and this goes against actual science-based evidence that tells us what families need to stay healthy.

Cutting these benefits leaves 5.3 million moms and kids without reliable access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

But here is the real kicker: The administration's own Make America Healthy Again report praises WIC's success in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.

Now, right here on page 34, read along with me. It says: ``WIC has a proven track record of improving children's health.'' It is right there, page 34.

Madam Chair, we know that these benefits work and these benefits help parents bring home apples instead of ultraprocessed snacks, carrots instead of empty calories, and healthier options across the board that set children up for success.

Now, we hear a lot of talk from the same people who are trying to cut these benefits about making America healthier. If they were serious about that goal, I wouldn't have to be standing here right now.

Madam Chair, we should be making it easier for families to afford healthy food, not harder.

For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered this motion with an important amendment to this bill.

My amendment would restore the cut this bill makes to the WIC fruit and vegetable benefits and adjusts them to keep up with inflation.

I will keep fighting to make sure that nothing, not inflation and not out-of-touch Republicans in D.C., get to take healthy food away from moms and kids.

I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit.

Madam Chair, I include in the Record the text of my amendment.

Ms. Bynum moves to recommit the bill H.R. 8646 to the Committee on Appropriations with the following amendment:

Amend the second proviso under the heading ``Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)'' to read as follows: ``Provided further, That the Secretary shall use funds made available under this heading to maintain the amount for the cash-value voucher for women and children participants at an amount recommended by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine and adjusted for inflation:''.

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