Overview
- Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration will redirect Section 232 tariff receipts to keep the WIC nutrition program operating during the funding lapse.
- USDA previously told states FY2026 allocations are paused and said up to $150 million in contingency funds would be available, a cushion expected to last about one to two weeks in many places.
- Participation in WIC recently approached 6.9 million, and the capped program typically relies on roughly $7–8 billion in annual appropriations for food vouchers and nutrition services.
- State capacity to backfill varies sharply, with Connecticut pledging temporary support as officials in Washington state and Alabama warn they can only sustain benefits for about one to three weeks.
- Key details remain unclear, including the amount and timing of tariff funds and the legal basis for reallocating them, and the National WIC Association welcomed the relief but urged Congress to provide stable, full-year funding.