Demonstrators hold signs as they march during a protest calling on Congress to reject billions in funding for immigration enforcement during the reconciliation process and instead invest in healthcare and food assistance programs, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 20, 2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee
The House passed a spending bill Thursday night that included $141 million in cuts to the WIC program, which provides fruit and vegetable assistance to women, infants, and children.
The narrow 213-210 vote would not have passed without support from four House Democrats: Donald Davis (D-NC), Adam Gray (D-CA), Vicente González (D-TX), and Marie Glusenkamp Pérez (D-WA), according to The New Republic. Three of the Democrats, Gray, González, and Pérez, are members of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition.
The Supplemental Food Assistance Program, or SNAP, operates through the Agriculture Department, and a program within SNAP, referred to as WIC, specifically provides fruit and vegetable assistance to women, infants and children.
The cuts are considered puzzling during an economic downturn when WIC enrollment is likely to increase, and food prices remain elevated.
Observers questioned why fruit and vegetable assistance for mothers and children was deemed acceptable to reduce, particularly as the program supports vulnerable populations during financial hardship.
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