WIC nutrition program faces funding shortfall within weeks

The WIC nutrition program, serving over six million mothers and children, may exhaust its funding within weeks due to a government shutdown. The program provides essential food vouchers and nutrition support to low-income families. Without congressional action, emergency funds and unspent state funds could only sustain it for a limited time. WIC is not an entitlement program and relies on annual appropriations, making it vulnerable to funding lapses during shutdowns. States may have to halt benefits if funding is not restored.