[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 4, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H2562]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  WIC

  (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Special 
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, better 
known as WIC, a program that has been providing short-term, low-cost 
preventive health services to young families who are at risk due to low 
income or nutritionally-related health conditions for 25 years.
  Studies have shown that pregnant women who participate in WIC have 
longer pregnancies leading to fewer premature births, have fewer low-
birth-weight babies, experience few infant deaths, and seek prenatal 
care earlier in their pregnancy.
  And when I say it is cost effective, let me point out some real 
numbers to my colleagues. It costs $22,000 a pound to raise a low or 
very low-birth-weight baby to normal weight, costs that are often 
covered by Medicaid. It costs only $40 per pound to provide WIC 
prenatal benefits. These figures show that WIC is making a real 
difference.
  I want to thank those who have made the program a success and wish 
WIC a happy 25th birthday.

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