Representatives Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and Don Bacon (R-NE) are joining forces with a new bill to prevent military families from losing access to nutrition benefits when they relocate.
The Nutrition Continuity for Military Families Act of 2026 would help ensure that eligible military families maintain access to Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits during permanent changes of station (PCS).
"Receiving orders to move around the country or the world is one of the most stressful sacrifices a military family can make," Rep. Escobar said. "It's critical that when families conduct a permanent change of station, Congress and the military make this drastic change as smooth as possible.”
Specifically, the legislation would require the Department of Defense to notify eligible service members about WIC when they receive PCS orders, provide military families with WIC verification cards, and ensure military installations have WIC-trained staff at least three days a week.
Rep. Escobar said it is vital for Congress to do more to help military families have the resources and tools to keep food on the table.
“The last thing they should be worried about is the transferring of their nutrition assistance,” she said.
According to Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN) CEO Shannon Razsadin, food costs are one of the biggest financial pressures on military families.
“And WIC benefits are a lifeline for many of them,” Razsadin said.
The MFAN found that 41.2% of military families reported low or very low food security in the past year, up from 15.6% two years ago.
“Families report WIC benefit coverage gaps when they relocate, and some don't even know they qualify in the first place.”
Razsadin said the legislation would address both the lack of awareness about eligibility and gaps in WIC coverage when military families move.
“This legislation fixes both problems: it helps families know what they're eligible for and ensures those benefits don't lapse just because they got new orders,” she said. “That's real financial stability for the families who need it most, and it strengthens the readiness of our all-volunteer force.”
