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59m ago

Shutdown Halts WIC Funding, Putting Benefits at Risk Within Weeks

States are drawing on limited reserves after USDA paused the quarterly WIC allocation during the shutdown.

The sky begins to brighten just before sunrise behind the U.S. Capitol on the second day of a federal government shutdown in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 2, 2025.
A view of the dome of the U.S. Capitol building, during a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on a stopgap spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown that would otherwise begin October 1, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. U.S., September 19, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura
The summer kickoff for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in Texas May 30, 2025.
Credit: USDA

Overview

  • A USDA letter to state WIC agencies confirmed no quarterly funds will be released during the funding lapse.
  • The National WIC Association warns benefits could be disrupted within one to two weeks, with roughly $150 million in contingency funds and about $135 million in monthly formula rebates offering only short-term support.
  • State capacity varies: Montana expects to sustain WIC through at least next month, Connecticut pledged near‑term coverage, and Illinois clinics were told they can operate through October.
  • White House and USDA officials fault Democrats and say states must decide whether to front costs, while House Democrats pressed USDA to promise reimbursement for state spending after the shutdown.
  • Internal briefings flagged potential funding shortfalls as soon as next week or by Oct. 15 absent congressional action, as SNAP is expected to continue due to different funding mechanisms.