Overview

• USDA and the White House are deploying roughly $300 million in unused tariff revenue to sustain WIC benefits, with officials indicating it can carry states through October.
• Budget and legal experts say it remains unclear whether tariff receipts can be used for WIC without new congressional appropriations.
• State and local programs report strain and short timelines, with Alabama’s health officer saying coverage for about 112,000 participants likely lasts only through October as reduced federal staffing complicates coordination.
• The National WIC Association welcomed the short-term lifeline but warned it is not a permanent fix and urged Congress to pass full-year funding.
• PolitiFact confirmed the president’s FY2026 budget proposes about a $291 million reduction for WIC, as House Democrats float legislation to make the program mandatory.