H.R. 10550 – Nutrition Continuity for Military Families Act of 2026

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Updated September 26, 2026 at 7:57 AM UTC

The Nutrition Continuity for Military Families Act of 2026 makes sure that enlisted service members who are moving to a new duty station and have young children or are pregnant can keep their access to the WIC nutrition program. It requires the Department of Defense to notify these service members about possible WIC eligibility before or soon after a permanent change of station (PCS) order, and it directs state WIC agencies to treat them as presumptively eligible during the move. The bill also requires each military base to have staff on‑site a few days each week to provide WIC information.

Key Provisions

The Secretary of Defense must notify eligible enlisted members (E‑4 or below, or E‑5/E‑6 with less than 10 years of service) who are undergoing a PCS and have dependents under age 5 or are pregnant, about potential WIC eligibility, ideally at least 30 days before the mandatory report date or as soon as possible after the PCS order.
State WIC agencies must consider these covered service members and their families as presumptively eligible for WIC during the period from the first day of the PCS until the current certification expires, and must issue a Verification of Certification card covering that time.
The bill amends the Child Nutrition Act to add language defining “covered member of the armed forces” and to apply existing certification transfer rules to them.
Within 180 days of enactment, each military installation must be staffed at least three days per week by appropriate personnel to provide WIC information and assistance related to the new notification and certification requirements.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Armed Services Committee

September 24, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 24, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Armed Services Committee

September 24, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 24, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10550

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 24, 2026

Ms. Escobar (for herself and Mr. Bacon) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To require that certain notifications and certifications relating to WIC be available to members of the Armed Forces undergoing a permanent change of station, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Nutrition Continuity for Military Families Act of 2026.

2.

WIC availability for members undergoing a permanent change of station

(a)

Notification of potential WIC eligibility

(1)

Notification required

In the case of a covered member of the Armed Forces, the Secretary of Defense shall notify such covered member with respect to the potential eligibility of such covered member to participate in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786).

(2)

Timing of notification

The Secretary of Defense shall notify a covered member of the Armed Forces under paragraph (1)—

(A)

to the maximum extent practicable, not later than 30 days before the applicable mandatory report date of such covered member; or

(B)

as soon as practicable after an applicable permanent change of station order is issued to such covered member.

(3)

Covered member of the Armed Forces defined

In this subsection, the term covered member of the Armed Forces means an enlisted member of the Armed Forces who—

(A)

is undergoing a permanent change of station;

(B)

(i)

has 1 or more dependents under the age of 5; or

(ii)

is pregnant or has a spouse that is pregnant; and

(C)

(i)

is serving an initial term of enlistment;

(ii)

is serving in a pay grade of E–4 or below; or

(iii)

has completed less than 10 years of service as a member of the Armed Forces and is serving in a pay grade of E–5 or E–6.

(b)

State agency treatment

Section 17(d) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (7 U.S.C. 1786(d)) is amended—

(1)

by striking (d)(1) Participation and inserting the following:

(d)

Eligible participants

(1)

In general

Participation

; and

(2)

in paragraph (2)—

(A)

by striking (2)(A) The Secretary and inserting the following:

(2)

Income eligibility standards

(A)

In general

The Secretary

;

(B)

in subparagraph (A), by indenting clauses (i) through (iii), and any subclauses therein, appropriately;

(C)

by indenting subparagraph (B), and any clauses and subclauses therein, appropriately;

(D)

by indenting subparagraph (D) appropriately; and

(E)

by adding at the end the following:

(E)

State agency treatment of active duty members

(i)

Definition of covered member of the armed forces

In this subparagraph, the term covered member of the armed forces means a member of the armed forces (as defined in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code) who—

(I)

is serving an initial term of enlistment;

(II)

is serving in a pay grade of E–4 or below; or

(III)

has completed less than 10 years of service as a member of the Armed Forces and is serving in a pay grade of E–5 or E–6.

(ii)

Issuance of verification of certification card

A State agency shall issue a Verification of Certification card to a covered member of the armed forces at the time of certification or recertification of the covered member of the armed forces in the program under this section.

(iii)

Permanent change of station

In the case of a covered member of the armed forces who is a participant in the program under this section and undergoing a permanent change of station, a State agency shall, during the period beginning on the first day of that permanent change of station and ending on the date on which the certification period in which that first day occurs expires—

(I)

treat that individual and every participant who is a member of the family of that individual as presumptively eligible to participate in the program; and

(II)

provide to that individual and each such family member a Verification of Certification card that is effective for that period.

(iv)

Transfer of certification requirements

The requirements under section 246.7(k) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), shall apply to every participant who is a member of a family in which there is a covered member of the armed forces.

.

(c)

WIC offices at military installations

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each military installation is staffed at least 3 days per week by appropriate military personnel, as determined by the Secretary, to provide to members of the Armed Forces information relating to the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established under section 17 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 1786), including information relating to—

(1)

the notification required under subsection (a); and

(2)

the mandatory reassessment required under subparagraph (E) of section 17(d)(2) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (7 U.S.C. 1786(d)(2)), as added by subsection (b).