Washington: The ongoing U.S. government shutdown has begun to cast a shadow over food security for millions of vulnerable Americans, with the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program facing an imminent funding crisis. Now in its second day, the shutdown shows little sign of resolution as partisan gridlock between Democrats and Republicans continues.
At the center of concern is WIC, a $7.6 billion federal initiative that provides food aid, nutrition guidance, and health support for about 6.7 million low-income mothers, infants, and young children. Unlike Social Security or Medicare, which operate on permanent authorizations, WIC must be renewed by Congress annually. With lawmakers at an impasse, the program’s funding is critically strained.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees WIC, has said it will keep operations running as long as possible, but reserves are dangerously low due to the shutdown coinciding with the close of the fiscal year. “If this drags on beyond a week, it’s going to put babies and children at serious risk,” warned Georgia Machell, President of the National WIC Association.
Governors across the country have rushed to reassure families that they will try to maintain services. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte’s administration said WIC funds can last “at least the next month,” while Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont pledged that his state would cover services in the short term.
But the stopgap measures may not hold if the shutdown stretches further. Katie Bergh, an analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, described the situation as “uncharted territory,” with state capacity varying widely.
The deadlock on Capitol Hill has only deepened recriminations. The Trump administration accused Democrats of engineering the shutdown and jeopardizing nutrition assistance. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins wrote on X that the “Democrat shutdown is hitting rural America hard,” citing WIC among programs at risk.
Democrats pushed back, noting that the administration had previously proposed a $300 million reduction in WIC funding for its 2026 budget, undercutting its current defense of the program. “We’re talking about whether babies eat or not,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). “That’s the reality families are facing.”
Some Democrats, including Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), broke ranks this week to support a Republican stopgap measure to avert the shutdown, citing the urgency of programs like WIC. “Our family doesn’t depend on WIC, but millions of Americans do,” he said.
According to Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), who oversees agriculture appropriations, the USDA has acknowledged that WIC funding could begin to run dry by October 15. Options under review include repurposing unused federal funds or reimbursing states that bridge the gap with their own resources.
Still, uncertainty looms large for families already living paycheck to paycheck. With Congress showing no signs of breaking the deadlock and no votes scheduled, the fate of WIC underscores how a federal shutdown ripples far beyond Washington threatening some of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.