The White House says it has funding to keep the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children running during an extended government shutdown, but it is still unclear how it will get to states’ health agencies and if it will arrive before funds run out.
While states have historically picked up the tab during government shutdowns, this one is testing the limits of state safety nets as federal dollars for WIC begin to dry up. They’re operating with little information from the federal government about whether they would be reimbursed if states did have to step in to cover the bill.
“In prior shutdowns, USDA has reimbursed the use of state general funds for WIC,” Roseline Hooks, a spokesperson for the National WIC Association, told NOTUS in a statement on Monday. “However, at this time, the USDA has not issued guidance on this matter for this particular shutdown.”
WIC is a federally funded program that provides healthy foods, nutrition education and breastfeeding support to low-income pregnant and postpartum women, as well as infants and children under age 5. WIC, which is administered by states with federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serves approximately 6.7 million participants.
A spokesperson for the USDA in a statement to NOTUS on Tuesday left open the possibility that there could be a lapse in funding.
“Nutrition programs will operate based on state choice and the length of a shutdown. If Democrats do not fund the government, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) will run out of funding and states will have to make a choice,” the USDA spokesperson said.
The White House said Tuesday it would find additional resources for the program.
“Thankfully, President Trump and the White House have identified a creative solution to transfer resources from Section 232 tariff revenue to this critical program,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a social media post. “The Trump White House will not allow impoverished mothers and their babies to go hungry because of the Democrats’ political games.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the timing and other details of what that transfer would look like.
While WIC in most states continues to operate as normal, New York Democrats condemned Republicans over leaving its future in doubt at all.
“By failing to ensure funds for New York’s WIC program, Republicans in Washington are abandoning pregnant women and infants who rely on this critical nutrition program to support their families. Governor Hochul is doing everything in her power to protect WIC recipients from the choice between putting food on the table or their health at risk,” Emma Wallner, press secretary for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, said in a statement.
In New York, California and Texas — some of the states with the largest WIC caseloads — health officials struck a cautious tone while asserting that applications and benefits will continue to be processed while their agencies monitor the situation.
James Rivera of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission told NOTUS the state “does not anticipate any immediate changes.”
New York officials also emphasized continuity. “For the time being, WIC remains open and ready to serve families. Families should keep appointments and use benefits as usual,” Danielle R. De Souza, senior public information officer at the Department of Health, told NOTUS.
In California, Grant Boyken of the Department of Public Health underscored the program’s reach, noting that about half of all infants born in the state are enrolled during their first year and that WIC serves roughly 1 million participants monthly.
“These vulnerable populations rely on WIC each month to receive the basic nutrition they need to avoid hunger, malnutrition and build a strong foundation for lifelong health and success,” Boyken told NOTUS.
NOTUS also reached out to state health departments in Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Missouri — states that rely heavily on federal funding and are at high risk due to Medicaid reductions. Officials in those states noted that WIC benefits would continue as normal but that the agencies would be closely monitoring.
In South Carolina, health officials said programs are operating normally for now, but cautioned that “depending on how long the shutdown lasts,” the state may have to make some adjustments in the future.
This story was produced as part of a partnership between NOTUS — a publication from the nonpartisan Allbritton Journalism Institute — and NEWSWELL, home of Times of San Diego, Santa Barbara News-Press and Stocktonia.
