WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congress failed to pass legislation to keep the federal government open, triggering a partial government shutdown at midnight tonight. Now, critical programs that serve millions of American families are at risk, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
The National WIC Association (NWA) emphasizes that while existing federal funds may allow WIC to remain open temporarily, congressional action is urgently needed to avert devastating disruptions. Without a swift resolution, millions of pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children could lose access to the nutritious foods and health support they need.
The following is a statement from Georgia Machell, President and CEO of the National WIC Association:
“Today, Congress has failed to meet its most basic responsibility: to fund the federal government. As we head into a partial federal government shutdown, NWA anticipates that WIC has enough funding on hand to remain open for the short term—likely one to two weeks. The timing of this shutdown at the start of the new fiscal year puts WIC at risk of rapidly running out of funds. This failure needlessly jeopardizes the health and nutrition of millions of pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children who rely on WIC.
“Congress must act with urgency to pass legislation that fully funds WIC, keeps the federal government open, and ensures that federal appropriations law cannot be undermined by administrative actions. Every day of inaction brings us closer to a crisis. Failure to rapidly reopen the government could result in State WIC directors being put in the horrible position of trying to manage their programs with insufficient funds.
“WIC provides critical nutritious foods, breastfeeding support, infant formula, and access to health screenings and referrals. These services are not a luxury; they are a necessary lifeline. Even temporary disruptions to the program could have long-term negative consequences for the health and development of our nation’s families.
“We call on Congress to immediately pass a funding bill that protects WIC and ensures this essential program can continue to serve every eligible family without interruption.”