Collected and (occasionally) composed

The House-passed appropriations bill for fiscal year 2012 contains a large funding cut that would force WIC to turn away more than 700,000 eligible low-income women and young children next year.

The funding bill that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved earlier this month provides more than the House bill (though less than WIC received last year).  If food costs and WIC participation next year don’t exceed our projections, the Senate funding level would be enough to avoid turning people away, as long as the Agriculture Department also taps WIC’s contingency reserve.

But the latest data show that food costs have been rising rapidly — especially for milk and cheese, which account for about one-third of WIC’s food expenditures — and even small percentage differences in food price inflation have a big impact on WIC funding needs.  It may become clear in coming weeks that the Senate funding level, even with WIC’s contingency reserve, won’t be enough to avoid turning away eligible low-income women and children.

Went to a presentation today where the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities explained just how terrible the budget realities and political climate in Washington are going to be for the poor.  Ugh…