# 119-hr-5740: WIC Benefits Protection Act

119-hr-5740, WIC Benefits Protection Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] (D-VA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-03).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5740
- As of: 2026-09-03
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-5740
- Congress: 119
- Title: WIC Benefits Protection Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-10-10
- Sponsor: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] (D-VA)
- Cosponsors: 99
- Policy area: Agriculture and Food
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-03

## Summary

**This bill would establish mandatory annual funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) starting in fiscal year 2026.** It would also require the Secretary to carry out the program and tie participation to the law's existing eligibility rules. - Families with pregnant people, infants, and young children would have steadier access to WIC because funding would be provided each year beginning in fiscal year 2026. - State and local WIC agencies would get more predictable annual funding, which helps planning and service delivery. - The Secretary would be required by statute to administer WIC and individuals who meet the program's statutory eligibility criteria would be eligible to enroll.

## Cosponsors (99)

- Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1] (D-OR), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11] (D-VA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4] (D-OR), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (D-IL), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (D-NY), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3] (D-AZ), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1] (D-MO), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2] (D-IL), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] (D-CT), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10] (D-NJ), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12] (D-PA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2] (D-NC), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (D-NC), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2] (D-HI), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2] (D-MD), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6] (D-MD), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2] (D-RI), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1] (D-IL), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] (D-MS), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30] (D-TX), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11] (D-OH), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6] (D-MI), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6] (D-GA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7] (D-VA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17] (D-CA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35] (D-TX), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ivey, Glenn [D-MD-4] (D-MD), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5] (D-MN), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2] (D-GA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] (D-MO), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22] (D-FL), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4] (D-NV), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51] (D-CA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6] (D-OR), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4] (D-VA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10] (D-CA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2] (D-LA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25] (D-FL), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3] (D-MD), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15] (D-NY), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1] (D-RI), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3] (D-NM), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14] (D-NY), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3] (D-MN), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] (D-IL), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Rivas, Luz M. [D-CA-29] (D-CA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8] (D-CA), 2025-10-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] (D-WA), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13] (D-IL), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29] (D-TX), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] (D-CA), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4] (D-WI), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4] (D-NC), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1] (D-OH), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22] (D-NY), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15] (D-CA), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] (D-MA), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5] (D-PA), 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1] (D-NV), 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39] (D-CA), 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] (D-WI), 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] (D-TN), 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA), 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2] (D-MN), 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3] (D-KY), 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (D-MA), 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2] (D-AL), 2025-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12] (D-NY), 2025-10-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9] (D-FL), 2025-10-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5] (D-NY), 2025-10-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6] (D-IL), 2025-10-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-IL), 2025-10-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45] (D-CA), 2025-10-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9] (D-MA), 2025-10-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13] (D-OH), 2025-10-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21] (D-CA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3] (D-OH), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8] (D-WA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8] (D-VA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38] (D-CA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4] (D-PA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4] (D-MN), 2025-10-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1] (D-NJ), 2025-11-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY), 2025-11-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Friedman, Laura [D-CA-30] (D-CA), 2025-11-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7] (D-AZ), 2025-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-NY), 2026-03-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7] (D-TX), 2026-09-01T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Guaranteed WIC program and yearly funding: benefit, medium. If enacted, USDA would be required to run the WIC program. Starting in fiscal year 2026, the government would provide "such sums as are necessary" each year to fund WIC. This could reduce funding gaps and make benefits more reliable for eligible women, infants, and young children. The bill does not…
- Clearer rules for WIC eligibility: mixed, low. The bill would tie WIC participation directly to the law’s written eligibility rules. It would not change those rules or set new funding by itself. This could give clearer guidance for applicants, but may reduce flexibility for edge cases. It would take effect upon enactment.

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act
- 119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-5740 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5740)

## Related
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5390)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1589)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5740 (as of 2026-09-03).