What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
Extending WIC for New Moms Act This bill extends the eligibility periods for breastfeeding and postpartum women under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Specifically, a state program may elect to certify a breastfeeding woman for up to 24 months (currently 1 year) postpartum. The bill also expands the eligibility period for postpartum women to up to 24 months after termination of pregnancy (currently 6 months). The Department of Agriculture must submit a report to Congress evaluating the effect of these changes to the WIC program on (1) maternal and infant health outcomes, (2) breastfeeding rates, and (3) qualitative evaluations of family experiences under WIC.
Action Timeline
2026-03-25
Introduced in Senate
2026-03-25
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did S.4191 pass?
S.4191 is still alive. Current stage: COMMITTEE. Pass likelihood: pending.
What does S.4191 do?
Extending WIC for New Moms Act This bill extends the eligibility periods for breastfeeding and postpartum women under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Specifically, a state program may elect to certify a breastfeeding woman for up to 24 months (currently 1 year) postpartum. The bill also expands the eligibility period for postpartum women to up to 24 months after termination of pregnancy (currently 6 months). The Department of Agriculture must submit a report to Congress evaluating the effect of these changes to the WIC program on (1) maternal …
Who sponsored S.4191?
S.4191 was sponsored by Angela D. Alsobrooks (D-Maryland).
Full Bill Text
119 S4191 IS: Extending WIC for New Moms Act U.S. Senate 2026-03-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. II 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4191 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 25, 2026 Ms. Alsobrooks (for herself, Mr. Blumenthal , Mr. Booker , Ms. Duckworth , and Mr. Durbin ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to extend eligibility of new moms for the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Extending WIC for New Moms Act . 2. Extending WIC eligibility for new moms (a) Extension of postpartum period Section 17(b)(10) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1786(b)(10) ) is amended by striking six months and inserting 24 months . (b) Extension of breastfeeding period Section 17(d)(3)(A)(ii) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(3)(A)(ii) ) is amended by striking 1 year and inserting 24 months . (c) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Congress a report that includes an evaluation of the effect of each of the amendments made by this section on— (1) maternal and infant health outcomes, including racial and ethnic disparities with respect to such outcomes; (2) breastfeeding rates among postpartum individuals; (3) qualitative evaluations of family experiences under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1786 ); and (4) other relevant information, as determined by the Secretary.
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