WASHINGTON (RTW News) — The Trump administration has injected $300 million into the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in an effort to stave off funding shortages caused by the ongoing government shutdown. This initiative alleviates widespread concerns about the program's funding, which supports millions of low-income mothers and children by providing them access to nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, and infant formula.
Without this financial boost, WIC faced operational challenges, potentially leaving many mothers and young children without necessary resources. The funding source comes from tariff revenues as announced by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on social media. Following the announcement, various states, including Alaska and Washington, reported the receipt of federal funds that would allow them to maintain their WIC programs at least until the end of October.
WIC, which is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, had been in jeopardy due to the government shutdown that began on October 1, resulting from the inability of Congress to agree on funding measures. This shutdown followed previous negotiations where Democrats voiced their intentions to reverse cuts to Medicaid and advocate for extended health subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.
Many officials indicated that this new funding would prevent state and local governments from having to self-fund WIC while awaiting federal reimbursements. In Alaska, for instance, state officials confirmed that the WIC program had received nearly $900,000, ensuring its operations would continue through November.
Both the White House and House Republicans criticized Democrats for the shutdown, blaming them for potentially harming crucial support services like WIC. Meanwhile, ongoing budget proposals by the Trump administration raised concerns over future funding shortages for WIC, especially if state budgets had to bear a larger share of the program's costs in the aftermath of the current federal funding impasse.
Without this financial boost, WIC faced operational challenges, potentially leaving many mothers and young children without necessary resources. The funding source comes from tariff revenues as announced by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on social media. Following the announcement, various states, including Alaska and Washington, reported the receipt of federal funds that would allow them to maintain their WIC programs at least until the end of October.
WIC, which is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, had been in jeopardy due to the government shutdown that began on October 1, resulting from the inability of Congress to agree on funding measures. This shutdown followed previous negotiations where Democrats voiced their intentions to reverse cuts to Medicaid and advocate for extended health subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.
Many officials indicated that this new funding would prevent state and local governments from having to self-fund WIC while awaiting federal reimbursements. In Alaska, for instance, state officials confirmed that the WIC program had received nearly $900,000, ensuring its operations would continue through November.
Both the White House and House Republicans criticized Democrats for the shutdown, blaming them for potentially harming crucial support services like WIC. Meanwhile, ongoing budget proposals by the Trump administration raised concerns over future funding shortages for WIC, especially if state budgets had to bear a larger share of the program's costs in the aftermath of the current federal funding impasse.
