The ongoing federal government shutdown has placed crucial food assistance for nearly 6.7 million poor Americans in jeopardy, with the immediate solution being beyond reach as Congress is still deeply divided.
At the heart of concern is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which delivers crucial food, nutrition education, and assistance to pregnant women, new mothers, and young children under five years of age. Unlike Social Security or Medicare, WIC must be approved by Congress annually, making it particularly vulnerable when there is a political standoff.
Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service has pledged to keep operating the $7.6 billion program as long as money holds out, analysts warn that funds are critically low. Georgia Machell, president and CEO of the National WIC Association, cautioned that the shutdown at the close of the fiscal year has left minimal financial cushion in the program.
“A prolonged federal shutdown of more than a week is going to start placing babies and young children at risk,” Machell stated.
States Fill in the Gap to Reassure Families
With no votes scheduled in Congress, the shutdown will continue into at least one more day, and ripple effects are unfolding. Governors in states across the country, who have the responsibility for dispensing WIC funds, are working to calm fears by providing temporary aid.
In Montana, the Republican Governor’s administration stated that WIC services would remain in place for “at least another month.” Connecticut Democrat Governor Ned Lamont also pledged to maintain the program temporarily.
Lawmakers are divided on how to avert the crisis. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) said that his support of a short-term funding measure was influenced by concerns about WIC.
That’s part of the reason I voted against closing the government,” he said. “I know there are some families that depend on these programs every day.”
Despite that, other Democrats stick firm to holding out for greater commitments on healthcare and federal services before the government reopens. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) admitted the threat to WIC but insisted pressure must be applied in order to gain permanent protections.
Political Blame Game Ratchets Up
As the impasse drags on, both sides are trading blame for responsibility. The Trump administration has faulted the effects of the shutdown on Democrats, warning that programs like WIC will run out of money.
“The Democrat shutdown is hurting rural America HARD,” posted Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on X, deciding that food programs are “at risk of running out of money.”
Democrats responded that the administration had indeed proposed a $300 million cut for WIC in its budget request for 2026, questioning expressions of concern. While the Senate passed legislation providing full funding for WIC earlier this year, the bill remains unsigned into law.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Democratic chair of WIC, reacted with alarm to short- and long-term consequences.
“We have many women and children who count on that,” she stated. “If they don’t receive funding, they won’t be able to eat.”
Uncertain Future
WIC funds could begin dwindling as soon as mid-October, USDA officials reported. The agency could attempt to extend the program by shifting unspent funds from last year, diverting funds, or reimbursing states that fund costs themselves.
But the outcome is far from certain. Katie Bergh, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities who specializes in WIC, warned that the program is in uncharted territory.
“We are in uncharted territory at this point,” she noted, adding that the length of continuous services will be up to each state’s resources.
For half-a-million at-risk families, the longer the shutdown continues, the more likely that mothers and children will be deprived of access to the food and benefits to which they are entitled on a daily basis.
