Senate Bill Would Let WIC Families Sign Up via Phone or Video, Skip Office Visits
A senate committee must act next: committee consideration.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Small grocery stores and retailers that are WIC-authorized vendors could see a modest increase in WIC redemptions if remote certification and benefit issuance boost program participation. However, the bill does not directly change vendor rules, so the impact is indirect and uncertain.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Roger Marshall introduced the 21st Century WIC Act to modernize the program. The bill allows participants to complete certification via phone or video and receive EBT cards by mail, reducing barriers like transportation and time off work.
The 21st Century WIC Act, introduced by Senators Marshall and Gillibrand, would codify waivers allowing remote certification and benefit issuance. It maintains a requirement for one in-person visit for health screenings while using technology to improve access for rural families.
Bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate aims to modernize WIC by allowing secure phone or video appointments for certification. The bill seeks to reduce the 'hardship' of repeated trips to government offices, especially for rural families, while maintaining program integrity.
No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
21st Century WIC Act of 2026
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