WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Wednesday, congressional leaders reached an agreement on a stopgap funding measure, including a short-term extension of current funding for the Agriculture Appropriations bill which funds the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). This strategic move effectively postpones two impending shutdown deadlines, extending them further into March.
The following is a statement from Georgia Machell, Interim President & CEO of the National WIC Association.
“While we’re grateful that lawmakers are making progress on full-year funding bills, it’s disappointing that WIC families once again have to endure Congress prolonging their uncertainty about the stability of the program.
For decades, the bipartisan commitment to ensure that WIC is available to anyone who needs it has been rock solid. Yet this Congress continues to teeter on the edge of breaking that commitment, which has caused a looming $1 billion shortfall and left women, babies, and young children twisting in the wind.
This political gamesmanship must end. For months, WIC has had to scramble to keep up as Congress lurches from one funding cliff to another. The longer these unnecessary funding battles persist, the harder it is for WIC staff and the families they serve to plan for their futures — and the closer we get to WIC being forced to turn people away.
Fully funding WIC should be the simplest decision that members of Congress ever have to make. We urge them to make that decision now.”