I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6298 
To waive and defer certain requirements under the special supplemental 
nutrition program for women, infants, and children during certain emer-
gencies, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 19, 2020 
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania (for himself and Ms. SCHRIER) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Labor 
A BILL 
To waive and defer certain requirements under the special 
supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and 
children during certain emergencies, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘COVID-19 WIC Re-
sponse Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. PHYSICAL PRESENCE WAIVER UNDER WIC DURING 
CERTAIN PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES. 
(a) WAIVER AUTHORITY.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary may grant a request 
described in paragraph (2) to— 
(A) waive the requirement under sub-
section (d)(3)(C)(i) of section 17 of the Child 
Nutrition 
Act 
of 
1966 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1786(d)(3)(C)(i)); and 
(B) defer anthropometric and bloodwork 
requirements necessary to determine nutritional 
risk under such section. 
(2) REQUEST.—A request described in this 
paragraph is a request made to the Secretary by a 
State agency to waive, on behalf of the local agencies 
served by such State agency, the requirements de-
scribed in paragraph (1) during any portion of the 
emergency period (as defined in paragraph (1)(B) of 
section 1135(g) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1320b–5(g))) beginning on or after the date 
of the enactment of this section. 
(b) REPORTS.— 
(1) LOCAL
AGENCY
REPORTS.—Each local 
agency that uses a waiver pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall, not later than 1 year after the date such local 
agency uses such waiver, submit a report to the 
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State agency serving such local agency that includes 
the following: 
(A) A summary of the use of such waiver 
by the local agency. 
(B) A description of whether such waiver 
resulted in improved services to women, infants, 
and children. 
(2) STATE
AGENCY
REPORTS.—Each State 
agency that receives a waiver under subsection (a), 
shall, not later than 18 months after the date such 
State agency received such waiver, submit a report 
to the Secretary that includes the following: 
(A) A summary of the reports received by 
the State agency under paragraph (1). 
(B) A description of whether such waiver 
resulted in improved services to women, infants, 
and children. 
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS WAIVER UNDER 
WIC. 
(a) WAIVER AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary may, if requested by 
a State agency, modify or waive any qualified ad-
ministrative requirement with respect to such State 
agency. 
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(2) QUALIFIED
ADMINISTRATIVE
REQUIRE-
MENT.—In this section, the term ‘‘qualified adminis-
trative requirement’’ means an administrative re-
quirement under section 17 of the Child Nutrition 
Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786) that the Secretary de-
termines— 
(A) cannot be met by a State agency due 
to COVID-19; and 
(B) the modification or waiver of which is 
necessary to provide assistance under such sec-
tion. 
(b) STATE AGENCY REPORTS.—Each State agency 
that receives a waiver under subsection (a)(1), shall, not 
later than 1 year after the date such State agency received 
such waiver, submit a report to the Secretary that includes 
the following: 
(1) A summary of the use of such waiver by the 
State agency. 
(2) A description of whether such waiver re-
sulted in improved services to women, infants, and 
children. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) LOCAL AGENCY.—The term ‘‘local agency’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 17(b) of 
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the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
1786(b)). 
(2) NUTRITIONAL RISK.—The term ‘‘nutritional 
risk’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
17(b) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
1786(b)). 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(4) STATE AGENCY.— The term ‘‘State agency’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 17(b) of 
the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
1786(b)). 
SEC. 5. SUNSET. 
The authorities under this Act shall expire on July 
31, 2020. 
Æ 
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