Hundreds of thousands of children could lose money for food if plans to cut government spending go through.
At least 359,000 infants and children could lose their automatic eligibility for a government program funding groceries and other nutrition among pregnant women if leaked budget cuts happen, according to a policy brief by the National WIC Association, a nonprofit advocating for the nutritional health of women, infants and children.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has suggested that $2.5 trillion of budget cuts are possible.
A "menu" for cuts acquired by POLITICO showed they could indirectly harm the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which had a more than $7 billion budget in 2024, the National WIC Association said.
The program provides healthy foods, breastfeeding support, nutrition education and referrals to other services, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The cuts would happen through a mechanism called "adjunct eligibility," which allows families to qualify for WIC by providing proof of participation in other government welfare programs, the National WIC Association said.
Email Dieter Holger at dholger@consumeraffairs.com.