Res No. 498
Resolution calling upon Congress to increase funding to the Women, Infants and Children program and to continue the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
By Council Members Brewer, Comrie, Dickens, Fidler, Gerson, Gonzalez, James, Liu, Mealy, Mendez, Nelson, Palma, Sanders Jr., Seabrook, Sears, Mark-Viverito, and Foster
Whereas, President Bush’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2007 calls for insufficient funding to the Women, Infants, and Children (“WIC”) program and elimination of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (“CSFP”); and
Whereas, Since 1974, WIC has been helping low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age five who are at nutrition risk through grants to state agencies and local clinics that provide services such as food vouchers, education on nutrition and breastfeeding, and improved healthcare access; and
Whereas, Research has demonstrated that the WIC program has played a vital role in improving birth outcomes, diets, cognitive development and savings in health care costs; and
Whereas, According to the United States Department of Agriculture, WIC serves over eight million people nationally each month, approximately 75 percent of whom are children and infants; and
Whereas, In 2005, over 482,000 New York State residents participated in WIC; and
Whereas, The proposed budget cut, which would result in a $9 million funding loss for New York State in the next year alone, would impose a heavy financial burden on the State or result in the loss of nutrition benefits services for over 50,000 mothers, infants, and children; and
Whereas, CSFP offers free nutritious food to women, infants, children and seniors over 60 years of age, and costs the federal government less than $20 per participant per month; and
Whereas, The elimination of CSFP would have a serious negative impact on all participants, including 33,000 New York State residents, approximately two thirds of whom are seniors, and 420,000 low-income seniors nationwide; and
Whereas, Eradicating CSFP would cause thousands more senior citizens to apply for Food Stamps and women, infants and children to apply for WIC benefits, while both of these programs will be facing cuts under the proposed budget; and
Whereas, Because nearly one in three New York City children live in poverty, child nutrition programs such as WIC and CSFP are essential tools in guaranteeing that these at-risk children and their mothers receive the nutrition they need; and
Whereas, WIC and CSFP are cost-effective and sound investments that ensure the health of our most vulnerable citizens; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon Congress to increase funding to the Women, Infants and Children program and to continue the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
FR
LS # 364
8/14/2006