Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) last week to extend government funding through March 23. This is the fifth temporary measure since the fiscal year began on October 1, 2017; however, Congress aims to pass a long-term omnibus spending agreement that will provide funding for the remainder of FY 2018 within the next few weeks. The CR includes a two-year raise of the budget caps for both defense and domestic spending, a ten-year extension for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), two-year extension for community health centers, and five-year extension for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). The CR was attached to a larger two-year budget deal which also included a $90 billion disaster relief package for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, $14 million of which was requested by the National WIC Association for WIC infrastructure repairs following the devastation of Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Trump's administration also released their FY19 budget blueprint including border security and an infrastructure plan. Along with tax cuts and unrealistic economic growth projections, this plan extends the federal deficit into record-setting trillions of dollars. Budget cuts focus on non-defense discretionary programs while budget increases focus on defense spending. Local and state governments can expect lower federal support and increased local spending for programs and infrastructure.

The latest figures for the proposed WIC FY 2019 budget, a net of $5.54 billion, includes a rescission of $215 million of unspent funds. This should be adequate to cover caseload, predicted to decline to 6.9 million participants in FY 2019. Factors impacting participation include an improved economy over the last decade, but also a hostile immigration environment that can hamper participation. WIC's long history of outstanding cost containment measures contributes to the budget projection, although food costs are predicted to increase slightly. Budget set-asides for FY 2019 include $60 million for breastfeeding peer counselors and $13.9 million for infrastructure, which is also expected for FY 2018, but a $10 million cut to $5 million for program evaluation in FY 2019. National WIC Association will advocate for full funding of $90 million for breastfeeding peer counselors and $25 million for program evaluation. ACTION: You play a role in protecting WIC funding! Invite your state and local decision makers for a visit to your WIC agency and assist them in understanding the important difference WIC makes for young families, children's start in life and local communities. CWA's Ambassador Toolkit can help you do this!

With the Farm Bill set to expire in 2018, reauthorization hearings will be closely watched, especially with SNAP benefits being targeted for potential benefits reductions and proposed damaging changes , including proposed USDA food boxes in place of shopping benefits. California Food Policy Advocates (CFPA) and partners are calling on California's congressional delegation to fight for #Food4All and protect CalFresh from cuts or structural changes. Through their Congressional District fact sheets, CFPA seeks to highlight the importance of preserving and strengthening CalFresh, which has wide-ranging positive impacts for children, families, seniors and the economies in every corner of our state. ACTION:  Access the Farm Bill Fact Sheets , sign up to receive Farm Bill updates , and find your
congressional district and Representative . Questions? Contact Kevin Lee at 213.482.8200 ext. 202.

The Dept. of Homeland Security's draft regulations, recently leaked to the press, propose drastic changes to the definition of public charge. Currently programs that provide cash assistance or government-funded long term care are included in public charge. Under the draft regulations a number of other programs including WIC, SNAP, Head Start, housing assistance and CHIP would be included. While the regulations would not apply to those with permanent status seeking citizenship, they would apply to many legal residents, including services their children may use,   prohibiting them from obtaining legal status, such as a green card. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is a draft and will need to go through the Office of Management and Budget and a public comment period. ACTION: Review this resource from National Immigration Law Center, expect potential rule-making in the next few months and be ready to comment. NWA will track this and advise on action for local and state programs.  In the meantime, please send any related stories or questions to Brian Dittmeier at bdittmeier@nwica.org.

With 10 weeks to go before we meet in San Diego April 29-May 2, the  CWA Annual Conference & Trade Show   is on target to be another outstanding opportunity for learning, networking and professional development. In a few words: exemplary agenda, engaging trade show, community-building meetings, challenging and fun activities, competitive teamwork, and new twists. Remember CWA Go from 2017? We'll host another  Photo Scavenger Hunt, this year with an eWIC theme!  ACTION: Check the Conference webpage for frequent updates. Send in your  Local Agency Sharing  information to reserve your table.  Register online  by February 23^rd to take advantage of early bird prices!

Incorporating technology into WIC services is gaining ground as local and state programs work to address the needs of young mothers and their families, including their expectations of how they receive WIC services. Texting, EBT cards, new MIS systems are examples of new ways to manage WIC operations and services. In addition to the very important in-person services WIC provides, videoconferencing with participants can be another useful option. CWA is pleased to release as part of our Engaging Families initiative, TeleWIC: Keeping Up with the Times, an issue brief that introduces the basic concepts of videoconferencing in WIC, describes different models of use, and provides lessons, challenges and opportunities. Be sure to check out the workshop at our annual conference , TeleWIC: Using Technology to Connect Families with WIC Services, including use of videoconferencing for certifications in the Georgia WIC Program.