WASHINGTON, D.C — Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey on Thursday introduced a plan to close the loophole he says kicks “a significant number” of children off a federal nutrition program.

The so-called “WIC Gap” currently leaves at-risk 5-year-olds whose birthdays miss kindergarten registration cutoff dates without food assistance until they are allowed to enroll in public school.

The problem arises when the children become too old to participate in the federal government’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program (WIC), but too young to enroll in school, where they might be eligible for breakfast and lunch programs.

Casey called that state-of-affairs, and the fact that nationally one in five children under the age of six currently lives in a home with inadequate access to food, unacceptable.

“Data like that indicates our nation has broken faith with young children ... and parents,” Casey said.

Casey’s legislation, the Wise Investment in our Children Act, would allow states to extend WIC eligibility for children up to and including age six.

According to information provided by Casey’s office, 2,303 people in Butler County are actively participating in the WIC program.

Of those 1,282, or more than half, are children and another 552 are infants.

According to Casey’s office more than 250,000 people statewide participate in the federally-funded program.

There was no immediate information on how much the expansion would cost, or how many children would benefit from the bill.