Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson

Congressman Glenn Thompson has introduced a bill that would aim to make it easier for young families to get access to 2% or whole milk.

It’s called the GIVE Milk Act and it was introduced earlier this week by Thompson along with Abigail Spanberger, a Virginia Democrat.

The members of Congress say that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children – better known as WIC – largely restricts milk access to nonfat or one percent in most cases.

This bill would expand that to include 2% and whole milk.

“Whole milk has been wrongfully targeted as unhealthy for the last decade, but in reality, it provides a wealth of essential nutrients that are particularly important for growing children,” Thompson said. “Including whole milk in the WIC program will provide a healthy option for those families who find themselves depending upon these benefits for essential nutrition.”

A similar provision by the same name in the last Congress died in committee.

“As a parent, I know that whole milk provides many of the essential vitamins and minerals that kids need for their early development. But for far too long, the WIC program has been blocked from providing moms with a full selection of milk,” Spanberger said. “That’s why I’m working to cut this unnecessary red tape and make more milk options available. By allowing WIC recipients to purchase whole milk, our bipartisan bill would make sure more children have access to the nutrients they need to grow up healthy and strong.”