The new bill authored by U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath in the U.S. House aims to expand access to nutrition support for mothers and infants by extending WIC eligibility, according to the U.S. Congress.
H.R.8055 was introduced on March 24, 2026 during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill extends eligibility for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for new mothers. Specifically, it amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to increase the postpartum eligibility period from six months to 24 months and to extend the breastfeeding eligibility period from one year to 24 months. Additionally, the Secretary of Agriculture is required to submit a report to Congress within two years of enactment, evaluating the impacts of these changes on maternal and infant health outcomes, breastfeeding rates, family experiences with the program, and any identified racial and ethnic disparities. The bill defines “postpartum” as the one-year period following the end of pregnancy.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Lucy McBath (Democrat-GA-6th District) and co-sponsored by Rep. Alma S. Adams (Democrat-GA-12th District), Rep. Joyce Beatty (Democrat-GA-3rd District), and Rep. Julia Brownley (Democrat-GA-26th District), along with 80 other sponsors.
Since the beginning of the current session, Rep. McBath has introduced another 11 bills.
A related bill, S.4191, was also introduced in the Senate on March 25, 2026. Congressional records list it as a related bill to H.R.8055.
Congressional bills can originate in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, except for revenue-related measures, which must begin in the House. After introduction, bills are assigned to committees for review, hearings, amendments and debate before they can advance to a vote in each chamber. If both chambers approve identical versions, the legislation is sent to the president, who may sign it into law or veto it. Congress operates in two-year terms, with each term numbered sequentially and divided into two annual sessions. The legislative process and official bill records are maintained by the U.S. Congress and published through Congress.gov.
Lucy McBath is a Representative from Georgia, born on June 1, 1960, in Joliet, Will County, Illinois. She earned a B.A. from Virginia State University in 1982 and has been elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Sixteenth and the three succeeding Congresses, serving since January 3, 2019.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| H.R.8055 | 03/24/2026 | Extending WIC for New Moms Act |
| H.R.7599 | 02/17/2026 | Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2026 |
| H.R.7333 | 02/03/2026 | Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2026 |
| H.R.5476 | 09/18/2025 | Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act |
| H.R.4701 | 07/23/2025 | Charting My Path for Future Success Act |
| H.R.4602 | 07/22/2025 | Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act |
| H.R.3985 | 06/12/2025 | Helping Student Parents Succeed Act |
| H.R.3115 | 04/30/2025 | Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 |
| H.R.3114 | 04/30/2025 | Clean Slate Act of 2025 |
| H.R.2790 | 04/09/2025 | GOSAFE Act |
| H.R.2789 | 04/09/2025 | Adult Education WORKS Act |
| H.R.1132 | 02/07/2025 | To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to direct the Secretary of Labor to award grants to community colleges for high-quality workforce development programs. |
Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Congress. The source data can be found here.
