Supporting Healthy Mothers and Infants Act of 2025
Supporting Healthy Mothers and Infants Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Supporting Healthy Mothers and Infants Act of 2025 - Summary **What the bill would do:** This bill would expand the WIC program (a federal nutrition assistance program for low-income pregnant women, new mothers, and young children) to better serve people struggling with substance use disorders. Specifically, it would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to create educational materials about nutrition for pregnant women and mothers dealing with addiction, as well as for infants affected by prenatal drug exposure or withdrawal symptoms.
The bill also calls for increased outreach to eligible individuals and an online database where states can access these specialized nutrition materials. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily targets pregnant women, nursing mothers, and infants enrolled in or eligible for WIC who are impacted by substance use disorders. This includes babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (withdrawal symptoms from prenatal drug exposure). **Current status:** The bill was introduced in the 119th Congress by Representative Eugene Vindman (D-VA) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
Supporting Healthy Mothers and Infants Act of 2025This bill modifies the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to add requirements for supporting individuals impacted by a substance use disorder.Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Agriculture tocollaborate with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop and disseminate nutrition education materials for individuals impacted by a substance use disorder, including materials for infants impacted by prenatal substance exposure and neonatal abstinence syndrome;conduct outreach to individuals who are potentially eligible for the WIC program and who are impacted by such a disorder; andmake available to states through an online clearinghouse any nutrition education and training materials related to nutrition for individuals impacted by a substance use disorder or neonatal abstinence syndrome.In addition, the nutrition education materials developed in collaboration with HHS must be included in (1) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention-developed education materials, and (2) HHS guidance on improving care for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome and their families.Under current law, the WIC program includes certain education related to drug abuse. This bill replaces references to drug abuse with substance use disorder.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.