Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack warned on Monday that a government shutdown would have an impact on nutritional assistance for about 7 million low-income women and children who use the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
Some of the benefits would be affected within days if Congress doesn't pass funding by the Sept. 30 deadline.
During a press conference with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Vilsack was asked if the government does shut down, if there's any scenario where "the administration could explore the possibility of exercising any authority to extend the funding of the WIC program past the one or two days" that he had just mentioned.
"There is no authority," Vilsack responded. "If we have a shutdown, WIC shuts down. And that means the nutrition assistance to those moms and young children shuts down."
Vilsack's warning about the administration's inability to help these low-income women and children comes as the Pentagon exempted funding for Ukraine from a potential government shutdown.
But if lawmakers fail to reach an agreement and government appropriations lapse, DOD has decided to continue activities supporting Ukraine, DOD spokesperson Chris Sherwood told POLITICO Thursday — just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley and other senior leaders at the Pentagon.
“Operation Atlantic Resolve is an excepted activity under a government lapse in appropriations,” Sherwood said, referring to the named operation for DOD’s activities in response to the Russian invasion. (Politico)
As Matt reported last week, that's why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continued to wine and dine with the nation's elite, carefree. But the administration's hands are somehow tied when it comes to continuing to help America's low-income women and children.
The Agriculture Secretary's comments are particularly troubling after an "enraging" "60 Minutes" report revealed that it's far more than weapons U.S. taxpayers are funding in Ukraine. They're also subsidizing seeds and fertilizer, keeping small businesses afloat, and paying the salaries of 57,000 first responders.