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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

Apparently House Speaker Johnson described #WIC as having shut down today. That’s not true. USDA has made clear that WIC has some federal funding to stay open for now & states can keep it open when that runs out. (I expect that will be in about 2 weeks, depending on the state.)

Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

Bottom line for #WIC under the shutdown: WIC should continue operating uninterrupted for about 2 weeks (varying by state) & states should use their own funds to keep it open beyond that so babies, young children & new & expecting parents don’t miss out on critical benefits.

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Reposted by Zoe Neuberger

Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

Bottom line for #WIC under the shutdown: WIC should continue operating uninterrupted for about 2 weeks (varying by state) & states should use their own funds to keep it open beyond that so babies, young children & new & expecting parents don’t miss out on critical benefits.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

Read more here: www.cbpp.org/blog/the-adm...

The Administration and State Officials Should Take Steps to Keep WIC Operating During a Partial Government Shutdown | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Reported White House statements imply that if the federal government partially shuts down on October 1, the WIC program will shut down almost immediately, meaning low-income families would lose out...

www.cbpp.org

Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

States must do all they can to keep #WIC operating as usual—including using their own funds—
and let participants and eligible families know, so they won’t miss out on WIC’s healthy foods, vital benefits, and the longer-term health improvements associated with participating.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

4️⃣ USDA clarified that states may use their own funds to continue providing #WIC benefits & services.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

3️⃣USDA noted that staff are needed to recover & reallocate prior year #WIC funds, which implies those funds will be distributed.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

2️⃣USDA intends to distribute #WIC’s $150 million contingency fund to cover food benefits.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

1️⃣USDA stated that #WIC operations, benefits & services may continue during a shutdown as resources permit.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

In USDA’s department-wide shutdown plan released yesterday and in #WIC-specific guidance issued today, they addressed 4 important points: www.usda.gov/sites/defaul...

www.usda.gov

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

Bottom line for #WIC under the shutdown: WIC should continue operating uninterrupted for about 2 weeks (varying by state) & states should use their own funds to keep it open beyond that so babies, young children & new & expecting parents don’t miss out on critical benefits.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

To ensure the healthy foods & vital services WIC provides aren’t disrupted & to reassure families that they can still enroll in WIC & use their benefits, USDA should issue additional guidance ASAP that includes these reassurances.

Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

But there’s more USDA can and should do, including immediately distributing #WIC’s $150 million contingency fund & assuring states they can eventually replenish state coffers if they use state funds to keep WIC fully open once federal funds run out.
www.cbpp.org/blog/the-adm...

The Administration and State Officials Should Take Steps to Keep WIC Operating During a Partial Government Shutdown | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Reported White House statements imply that if the federal government partially shuts down on October 1, the WIC program will shut down almost immediately, meaning low-income families would lose out...

www.cbpp.org

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

This implies that USDA will recover and reallocate to states FY25 funds that haven’t yet been spent. This is one of the important steps they can take to keep #WIC operating as usual as long as possible.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

It also notes that federal staff will be needed because “WIC has the ability to recover and reallocate unused grant award funds from the previous fiscal year.”

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 7d

USDA’s shutdown plan says that #WIC “shall continue operations during a lapse in appropriations, subject to the availability of funding.”
www.usda.gov/sites/defaul...

www.usda.gov

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 9d

Read more here: www.cbpp.org/blog/the-adm...

The Administration and State Officials Should Take Steps to Keep WIC Operating During a Partial Government Shutdown | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Reported White House statements imply that if the federal government partially shuts down on October 1, the WIC program will shut down almost immediately, meaning low-income families would lose out...

www.cbpp.org

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 9d

It’s also vital to ensure these families receive the funding intended for them by including in any bipartisan funding agreement enforceable measures to prevent the Trump Admin from unilaterally & illegally impounding funds or using partisan processes to rescind funding.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 9d

If there is a funding lapse, taking these steps will be critical to ensure that low-income families don’t lose the nutritious foods and vital services #WIC provides and to avoid confusing families into mistakenly believing they can’t enroll or use their benefits.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 9d

NEW: Despite White House statements implying that #WIC benefits for low-income families would be immediately disrupted if the government partially shuts down this week, the Trump Administration & state officials have several steps they could & should take to keep WIC running.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 12d

Very appreciative of the opportunity to talk about how effective and important #WIC is with champions of young children gathered by @raisingillinois.bsky.social. www.raisingillinois.org/raising-our-...

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 16d

Not measuring food insecurity doesn't actually help people get enough to eat. There's so much we could do to to help. Understanding the problem makes responses more effective.

Sharon Parrott @sharonparrott.bsky.social · 17d

The Administration acknowledged that it will stop the survey that measures food insecurity, just as tariffs push up food prices and the deep cuts to food assistance enacted in July start to take effect. Congress must intervene to save these vital data. www.wsj.com/economy/trum...

Exclusive | Trump Administration Cancels Annual Hunger Survey

The government has been measuring food insecurity since the mid-1990s but now says the report has become “overly politicized.”

www.wsj.com

Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 23d

To avoid turning eligible preschoolers & new parents away from #WIC’s proven benefits, Congress must take the Senate approach to WIC funding and accompany it with provisions that ensure the funds Congress provides get spent.

Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 23d

This year, the Trump administration has worked with congressional Republicans to claw back bipartisan funding provided in the March spending law by seeking partisan rescission legislation or by unlawfully & unilaterally impounding funds.
www.cbpp.org/research/fed...

2026 Appropriations Must Protect Against Further Partisan Cuts and Illegal Withholding of Funds | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

The Trump Administration has repeatedly undermined last March’s bipartisan appropriations law, covering fiscal 2025, both by working with congressional Republicans to claw back funds using a partisan ...

www.cbpp.org

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 23d

But even if Congress adopts the Senate funding level #WIC WIC funding could be at risk.

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Zoe Neuberger @zoeneuberger.bsky.social · 23d

The House bill would also cut #WIC’s fruit & vegetable benefits for more than 4 million young children & breastfeeding participants, starting the process proposed in President Trump’s 2026 budget of slashing the fruit & vegetable benefit.

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