Letter to Pam Miller, Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service - Levin, Moore Lead 95 House Members Urging Commonsense Flexibility for WIC Use During COVID-19 Crisis

Letter

Administrator Miller:
Thank you for your efforts to ensure that women and children in the WIC program
continue to receive benefits amid the COVID-19 public health emergency. We write to urge the
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to take additional steps to guarantee the safety of WIC
shoppers for the duration of this emergency. Specifically, we request that FNS use the authority
granted under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127) to waive restrictions
requiring in-person redemption of WIC benefits in the presence of a cashier and permit online or
phone purchases with WIC until the conclusion of the COVID-19 crisis.1
Scaling up the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot program authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill
has improved the shopping experience for families who depend on federal nutrition programs by
reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for both shoppers and grocery store employees. We
understand that it is not possible at this point to integrate WIC transactions into the SNAP online
ordering systems, given key differences between SNAP and WIC benefit disbursement.
However, USDA should be proactively exploring and supporting alternative transaction models
for WIC, such as self-checkout, curbside pickup, or home delivery, all of which would better
protect the health of WIC shoppers, grocery store employees, and their families.
As the SNAP pilot program expands and retailers are offering an array of options for
consumers, WIC participants are being left behind. The risks of in-person shopping could deter
WIC participation, leaving families without access to vital support throughout pregnancy and
early childhood. Some retailers are even closing their doors to in-person shopping and adopting
exclusive curbside or delivery models. This could inhibit WIC participant access to authorized
vendors within their communities if WIC is excluded in these alternative transaction models.
It is crucial that the WIC program provides flexibility to safeguard the health of
American families while ensuring the continued integrity of the program. As state agencies and
retailers develop workable alternative models for purchasing and delivering groceries, we
respectfully request that FNS use the authority granted by the Families First Coronavirus
Response Act to grant limited waivers to ensure the WIC program has the flexibility to adapt and
ensure families have safe shopping experiences.
We appreciate your consideration of this request and we look forward to your response.