Abstract: This hearing receives and reviews a report by the General Accounting Office on the National WIC Evaluation. This WIC evaluation discusses the circumstances surrounding a delayed, over budget WIC evaluation and some of the editing processes that resulted in sections of the report being deleted.

Abstract: This report provides information on the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's (USDA) handling of the National WIC Evaluation and its current plans for a follow-on study of WIC's impact on children. The report discusses the problems USDA encountered in performing the National WIC Evaluation, which added to its cost and delayed its issuance; the reason USDA cancelled a follow-up study of WIC's effects on children; and the status of USDA's plans for a redesigned study of children. It also includes factors USDA may want to consider in planning and conducting future evaluations in order to produce less costly, more timely results.