Rep. Eugene Vindman on Wednesday introduced bipartisan legislation to better support women, infants and children impacted by substance use disorder.
The Democrat, the only Virginian on the House Agriculture Committee, submitted the bill with Rep. Glenn “G.T.” Thompson (R-Pa.), the committee’s chairman. Vindman represents the 7th District, which includes the Fredericksburg area.
The Supporting Healthy Mothers and Infants Act would update the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and expand the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to include support for women with SUD and infants and children with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).
“By modernizing WIC to better support women and children affected by addiction, this bipartisan bill ensures that our community’s moms and babies have the best opportunity to stay healthy,” Vindman said in an announcement of the bill. “The Supporting Healthy Mothers and Infants Act is a meaningful, bipartisan step in addressing the devastating impacts of the opioid and fentanyl crises.”
The Supporting Healthy Mothers and Infants Act, which is supported by the March of Dimes, would:
- Require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop and distribute nutrition education materials focused on substance use disorder and its impacts on breastfeeding and early childhood health;
- Require USDA to conduct targeted outreach to individuals impacted by SUD who may be eligible for WIC, leveraging existing state-level partnerships;
- Establish a national online clearinghouse for SUD-related educational and training materials, giving states and agencies easy access to resources developed under other federal laws.
WIC is one of the most effective federal nutrition programs, Vindman’s office said, providing healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and health care referrals to low-income pregnant women, mothers and children younger than 5. The new legislation would build on WIC’s success by tailoring its services to address the growing needs of families affected by substance use — including individuals in recovery and children born with NAS.
In 2023, Virginia reported 117 cases of NAS, with a rate of six per 1,000 birth hospitalizations, ranking 22nd in the nation.
These numbers reflect a persistent and urgent need to support families grappling with the effects of substance use during and after pregnancy, Vindman’s office said.
By modernizing WIC to include targeted education and outreach, the new bill provides a critical lifeline to at-risk families and helps break the intergenerational cycle of addiction. Children raised in households affected by substance use are significantly more likely to face mental health challenges and develop SUD themselves.
“The opioid epidemic has impacted every community, regardless of demographics or socioeconomic status,” Thompson said in the announcement. “It is particularly heartbreaking to see newborn babies suffering from opioid withdrawal. We have crafted legislation to help expectant mothers address substance abuse and support the unborn, by creating more opportunities for treatment, education and prevention.”
