To authorize the reimbursement by the Federal Government of State funds used to maintain participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in the event of a Government shutdown.
This bill would create a federal reimbursement mechanism to repay state funds used to keep the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) operating during a government shutdown. Specifically, if there is a lapse in discretionary appropriations, a state agency that uses its own funds to maintain WIC operations would become eligible, after the shutdown ends, to be reimbursed by the federal government for those expenditures. The intent is to prevent WIC participation from falling apart during a funding lapse and to ensure continuity of services for eligible women, infants, and children once funds are restored. The bill does not specify funding amounts or the timing of reimbursement beyond noting that it would occur after the lapse.
Key Points
- 1Establishes a federal reimbursement program for state funds spent to maintain WIC during a lapse in discretionary appropriations (government shutdown).
- 2Applies to state agencies that use state funds to carry out operations essential to maintaining participation in WIC (as authorized under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966).
- 3Reimbursement to states would occur after the conclusion of the lapse in appropriations, i.e., once the funding gap ends.
- 4Explicitly links to WIC as authorized under 42 U.S.C. 1786 (Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966).
- 5Introduced in the 119th Congress and referred to the Education and Workforce Committee; sponsor list indicates broad bipartisan interest but the sponsor is listed as “Unknown” in the provided text.