Political Quotes

“The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children--or WIC--is a short- term intervention program designed to help ensure pregnant women and their children are able to meet healthy nutritional needs. WIC began in 1972 as a supplemental food pilot program aimed at improving the health of pregnant mothers, infants, and children in response to a growing concern of malnutrition among low-income families. By 1974, WIC was operating in 45 States and became a permanent program in 1975. WIC provides participants with monthly benefits redeemable for specific foods to supplement their diets, as well as related nutrition and health services. WIC provides quality nutrition education and services; breastfeeding promotion and education; a monthly food package; and access to maternal, prenatal, and pediatric healthcare services. WIC has served 8.3 million participants each month through 10,000 clinics nationwide in 2014; 806,000 pregnant women; 592,000 breastfeeding women; 575,000 postpartum women; 2 million infants; and 4.3 million children. Mr. Speaker, numerous studies have shown that pregnant women who participate in WIC have longer pregnancies, leading to fewer premature births. They have fewer low and very low birth weight babies. They experience fewer fetal and infant deaths, and they seek prenatal care earlier in pregnancy and consume more of key nutrients, such as iron, protein, calcium, vitamins A and C.…”