WASHINGTONโ (AP) – The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program โfor โฃWomen, Infants adn Children (WIC)โค is being sustained โคduring the ongoing government shutdown through the โฃredirection of fundsโ initially collected from tariffs imposed under the Trump administration, officials announcedโ today. The โขtemporary measure ensures continued access to vital nutrition assistance for โmillions of vulnerable mothers and children.
the government shutdown, now in its second week, โbegan Oct. 1 after โCongress failed to pass a funding bill. The situation has raised concerns about โฃthe viability of โnumerous federal programs, including WIC, which provides food,โค healthcare referrals, and nutrition education for over 7 โคmillion โlow-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children underโค age 5.
While both Democrats and Republicans have publicly expressed support for WIC,โ the programโข facedโ potentialโ funding shortfalls even before the shutdown.โ President trump’s budget proposal and a budget bill passed byโ House Republicans โlast month wouldโฃ notโ have โขfully โfunded WIC, perhaps forcing the program to deny benefits to eligible applicants.
“As President trump is now signaling he โคcares โabout the WIC program, he shoudl finally get โคtoโค the negotiating โขtable toโข reopen the โgovernment,” said โSen. Patty Murray,a Democrat from Washington state.โ “And he โshould instantly disavow โhis budget requestโ to substantially cut benefits for millions of โmoms and kids – andโ tell House Republicans to backโค off thier proposed cuts asโ well.”
The White House and Congressional Republicans have criticized Democrats for the shutdown, emphasizing the potential impact on WIC.”The Democrats are so cruelโ in their continual votes to shut down the government thatโ they forced theโ WIC program for the most โvulnerable women and children to โrun out this week,” Leavitt posted on X.
Congressional Democrats are seeking to reverse cuts to โMedicaid enacted earlier thisโ year as part of a larger legislative โฃpackage and to extend subsidies โขfor Affordable โCareโค Act insurance plans, โขwhich cover more thanโฃ 24 million Americans.Negotiations remain stalled.
The redirection of tariff revenue provides a short-term solution, but the โlong-term funding of WIC remainsโข uncertain pendingโฃ a resolution to theโฃ government shutdown.