U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York wants to inject $6 billion into a federal program that helps low-income families get access to food assistance.
The Women, Infants and Children Program, or WIC, provides federal grants to women with young children so they can buy healthy food for their families.
Gillibrand said WIC is in desperate need of more funding.
“Increasing access to food has not been a bipartisan goal. And it's really troubling, because the need is so great. And obviously it's not about whether you're a Democrat or Republican when you're hungry, and your children are hungry,” Gillibrand said.
Gillibrand said WIC enrollment has ticked up across the country as people grapple with unemployment and economic shutdowns. New York has seen a 3% increase in WIC participation since February.
She said long lines at food banks prove that food insecurity has become an urgent issue for millions of Americans.
