Title: WIC Act of 2019
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Wise Investment in Children Act of 2019 or the WIC Act of 2019
This bill expands eligibility for children to receive benefits under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Specifically, the bill

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2358 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2358

    To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to increase the age of 
    eligibility for children to receive benefits under the special 
 supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 31, 2019

Mr. Casey (for himself and Ms. Collins) 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 increase the age of 
    eligibility for children to receive benefits under the special 
 supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Wise Investment in Children Act of 
2019'' or the ``WIC Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. AGE OF ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL 
              NUTRITION PROGRAM.

    (a) Definition of Child.--Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 
1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (2) and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(2) Child.--The term `child' means--
                    ``(A) a person who has attained their first 
                birthday but has not yet attained their fifth birthday; 
                and
                    ``(B) for purposes of subsection 
                (d)(3)(A)(iii)(II), a person who has attained their 
                first birthday but has not yet attained their sixth 
                birthday.'';
            (2) in subsection (e)(4)(A), by striking ``up to age 5''; 
        and
            (3) in subsection (f)(7)(D)(i), by striking ``under the age 
        of 5''.
    (b) Certification.--Section 17(d)(3)(A)(iii) of the Child Nutrition 
Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(3)(A)(iii)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``A State'' and inserting the following:
                                    ``(I) In general.--A State''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                                    ``(II) 5-year-old children.--
                                            ``(aa) In general.--A State 
                                        may elect to certify a 
                                        participant child who has had a 
                                        fifth birthday but has not yet 
                                        attained their sixth birthday, 
                                        during the period that ends on 
                                        the earlier of--

                                                    ``(AA) the sixth 
                                                birthday of the child; 
                                                and

                                                    ``(BB) the first 
                                                date on which the child 
                                                attends full day 
                                                kindergarten.

                                            ``(bb) Requirements.--Each 
                                        State that elects to certify a 
                                        child under item (aa) shall--

                                                    ``(AA) ensure that 
                                                the participant child 
                                                receives required 
                                                health and nutrition 
                                                assessments; and

                                                    ``(BB) establish a 
                                                system to determine the 
                                                first date on which a 
                                                participant child 
                                                attends full day 
                                                kindergarten.''.

    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1902(a)(53)(A) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(53)(A)) is amended by striking ``below 
the age of 5'' and inserting ``(as defined in that section)''.

SEC. 3. CERTIFICATION OF INFANTS.

    (a) Definition of Infant.--Section 17(b) of the Child Nutrition Act 
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (5) and 
inserting the following:
            ``(5) Infant.--The term `infant' means--
                    ``(A) a person under 1 year of age; and
                    ``(B) for purposes of subsection (d), a person 
                under 2 years of age.''.
    (b) Certification.--Section 17(d)(3)(A) of the Child Nutrition Act 
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(3)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
                            ``(iv) Infants.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--A State may 
                                elect to certify an infant for a period 
                                of not more than 2 years.
                                    ``(II) Assessments.--In certifying 
                                an infant under subclause (I), a State 
                                shall ensure that the infant receives 
                                required health and nutrition 
                                assessments.''.

SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF POSTPARTUM PERIOD.

    (a) Breastfeeding Women.--
            (1) Definition of breastfeeding woman.--Section 17(b) of 
        the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(b)) is amended 
        by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) Breastfeeding woman.--The term `breastfeeding woman' 
        means--
                    ``(A) a woman who is not more than 1 year 
                postpartum and is breastfeeding the infant of the 
                woman; and
                    ``(B) for purposes of subsection (d), a woman who 
                is not more than 2 years postpartum and is 
                breastfeeding the infant of the woman.''.
            (2) Certification.--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 all that follows through ``earlier'' 
        and inserting ``not more than 2 years postpartum''.
    (b) Postpartum Women.--
            (1) Definition of postpartum woman.--Section 17(b) of the 
        Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(b)) is amended by 
        striking paragraph (10) and inserting the following:
            ``(10) Postpartum woman.--The term `postpartum woman' 
        means--
                    ``(A) a woman up to 6 months after termination of 
                pregnancy; and
                    ``(B) for purposes of subsection (d), a woman up to 
                2 years after termination of pregnancy.''.
            (2) Certification.--Section 17(d)(3)(A) of the Child 
        Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(3)(A)) (as amended by 
        section 3(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(v) Postpartum women.--A State may elect 
                        to certify a postpartum woman for a period of 
                        up to 2 years after the termination of 
                        pregnancy of the postpartum woman.''.
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